Their City
by LadyYakamichi
Summary: She never understood the truth of what was going on. Then he stole her away and showed her. Now it is their responsibility as assassins to save the city which is dearest to them. But 3 clans stand in their way; they will have to take them down or die.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer for the WHOLE THING: I don't own Naruto. I do own this though, so no copy! I'm not sure when I will be updating as I am fairly busy with His Rebirth, but I will when I can. R&R please, and I'll try to get this moving.**

Her fingers plucked lightly over the strings, her eyes scanning the dark corridors of the church. It was only fitting that he would be here, the devil himself that was her enemy, contaminating the only thing that was sacred to her in this world of corruption. Her long rose colored hair hid her eyes from the world, and yet they glimmered with such an intense hate that the shadows seemed to avoid her line of sigh, skulking through the dark areas at her back.

He watched her with a level interest, his finger running over the silver blade. A thin chrisom ribbon formed where the pale skin split under its honed edge, as easily as though it were clothe before shears. Across the rafters above the church he slid like some demented demon, seeming to disappear from all sight as he moved with a haunting speed.

The fingers that played did not hesitate as they continued to fill the church with its chillingly gentle music. The enticing sounds were darkly playful, a dare written within their crescendo and pianissimo dynamics. If a priest had been there, she was sure she would have been scolded for playing such a "devil's work" of music. But there was no clergy man there to forbid her from coxing the shadows out of hiding. No one could rebuke her for drawing him away from her father, for none of them knew.

She never had once turned to face him. But he knew without a shadow of doubt that she was aware of his prescience. He had never wanted to claim such an angel and turn her to the dark, but yet he could never resist the call that she wove with her music. It was like a spider's web, so beautifully formed, but yet it was to be a death trap. "Are you afraid of me, Itachi Uchiha," she purred softly, "that you will not even abandon the shadows in which you crawl like a snake? How unfortunate…"

"I am not one to be charmed by a leopard's eyes," he replied in his deep baritone, stilling where her gaze could not reach him. "Sakura Haruno. Not even the one with a face of the angel. Where is your father?"

"You hold back," she mused, her voice like silk as her fingers continued to play her spell like song. "You are no wet behind the ears assassin. Fulfill that which you came to do... and leave my father alone."

His voice rose slightly, challenging the sole figure. "You would mock me woman?"

"Of course not," she replied quietly, still strumming, drawing him ever closer as he descended the steps of the choir loft with an expression of death. "Who would dare mock the top killer who is _destroying_ our city for being unable to kill a mere noble girl?"

The coal colored eyes became like steel, piercing her soul. A mere step brought him directly at her back, the wicked blade glimmering bright red from the light of the stain glass. "Killing you would be too much of a sin, Sakura Haruno when you know _nothing_ of what I have done for this city; what your father has done…" he whispered in her ear as he ran the flat of the blade down her exposed neck. "Which is why I intend to do no such thing."

The blade flipped in his fingers as he brought down a crushing blow to the back of her head.

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_~Three Years Later~_

The music box clicked away out its silent sad song as the stars glittered like diamonds in the tapestry of the night sky. A lone shadow slipped over the stone roof tops, their feet mere silent thuds, unnoticeable to any ear. Pausing at a balcony, the small figure took a breath before dropping inside.

The startling green eyes picked out the pompous target with ease and mere flick of her fingers sent four needles to impale his neck with sickening thuds. Then the fight began. Becoming a carousel of death, she whipped out her main blades from their hidden position against her forearms, spinning like a demons cyclone to dismember the first guard who dared attack her from the side. There would be no survivors this night. Stabbing the second through the stomach, she twisted the blades cruelly before wrenching them out as she narrowly avoided decapitation. Slamming a kick into the third's torso, she allowed the force to carry her, driving her blades through his heart as they landed.

Vicious eyes pinning down the last guard as he bolted for the door, she drew a final blade from her belt and sent it spinning through the air. There was a single, sickening thud. And then there was silence.

Like a single breath of wind, she headed out the open door silently into the main hall. Following the halls until she came to a single open door, the assassin paused as her viridian eyes saw the form of a young woman fast asleep. Remorse flickered through their gaze as they slowly entered the master bed room. Drawing a single red rose, she left it on the bed before slipping back out into the halls, and then out the balcony once more.

Running over the roof top, she swore as she heard a shout ring out below. Not pausing in her stride, the small figure jumped neatly, rolling back to her feet as she bolted across the roof tops. Weaving left and right, she narrowly avoided a cross bow bolt as it slit her dark mottled cloak. Her feet took her through the upper districts of the city before she turned sharply and dropped down into the cathedral's courtyard.

Her sure hands and feet took her up the sides of the great stone building until she reached the bell tower. Weaving her way up the walls like a small shadow, she did not pause as she heard the shouts of the watch ring out through the city. Her feet pushed as her arms pulled and then with ease, the small figure hauled herself into the hidden confines of the bell tower. Sitting on the edge of the great marble ledge, she paused for but a moment to strip of the black face cover.

The silver moon light reflected off her gentle pale features as she rested her head on her knees and stared out at the city before her. The city that had been the corrupts' to bleed dry. The city that was know her responsibility. The city that was now their responsibility. As the chill of the darkest part of night seeped into her black clad form, Sakura Haruno felt a small tear trail down her cheek at the thought of the darkness that it had fallen to.

Strong hands pulled her away from the ledge into the sanctity of the belfry and his arms. Stroking her head lightly, Itachi allowed his warmth to fill her as he stared out at the brightest star amidst the midnight tapestry. "You are no longer the blind noble girl; you have grown stronger. It will be our city…. We will not allow it to fall," he whispered quietly in her ear.

Nodding, she rose with him to descend into the sanctuary of the abandoned chapel as day's warming glow began to rob the sky of its stars. They were the saviors who were forever to be condemned as criminals in a world blinded by greed. For there was none to aid them in their struggle. The city's best killer… and a former noble, each as different as the night and day, but committed to the only thing they loved.

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The news was in the streets before the sun could rise fully to the sky. One of the Four Lords, One of the Tsuchi-Ho-Mizu-Rai Rulers, was dead. And the only evidence was a singe red rose, left on the bedside of his wife.

Yet not one tear was shed that day as the city slowly stirred to life, save by a young man with cerulean eyes as he stared at a grave in the courtyard of the large estate. Laying a single cherry blossom, her wiped his eyes, and then took off through the morning mist.

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"Bless me Father Hatake for I have sinned…" Sakura intoned as she entered the dark of the confessional box.

"You wouldn't be here otherwise, Sakura. Skip the bull shit of wanting forgiveness," the deep voice replied behind the screen.

She attempted to stifle a grin at the wily, no-nonsense priest's tone. Taking a moment to collect herself, she kept her simple discussion tone. "Some of us care about escaping damnation, Father. It would be wrong not to ask for absolution for our sins…"

"You can only obtain that through _repentance_, which I know you have no intention of, Sakura. Now," the priest asked. "What do you need?"

"The date of the next gathering of the Hyuuga, Uchiha, and Uzumaki," she replied without hesitation. After all, Kakashi had been a long informant of Itachi and was a surrogate father to them both. They kept his church from thieves, while supplying a steady stream of income. In return, he gave them a place to stay where the watch could not venture without fear of riot.

"Two days, at the Uchiha Estate, at sunset," he finally said. "They're holding the annual Presentation of Heirs Ball."

"Wonderful," Sakura mused, drawing her gloves over her hands easily.

"Indeed. Now I believe you were after some forgiveness…. you are absolved of your sins as soon as you complete your penance: saving this city from its destruction. Go… and sin no more."

There was a hint of reproach in his tone. Crossing herself as was customary, Sakura rose and exited the confessional as the large doors of the church opened suddenly. Concealing herself in the shadows, she licked her lips nervously as she watched the blonde hair figure enter. Proceeding to the alter, he knelt at the rail, as though a man stricken by grief. The dull shine of tears stained his cheeks as he prayed vehemently.

Seeing that his mind was fully occupied, Sakura took the opportunity to flee up the stairs of the choir loft. Concealed behind the rail, she listened as Kakashi slowly approached the young man. "Naruto…. you know that prayers will not bring her back…" the old priest said quietly. "I would have thought that you would have moved on after your engagement to Hinata."

"How can I move on?" the young man replied bitterly. Sakura could see the helpless anger in his eyes. "They took her from me."

"The assassins may have taken Sakura Haruno… but you should not hate them," Kakashi admonished in his fatherly tone. "You are one of the purest of this time, Naruto. To allow such a dark emotion to rule you is foolish."

"Foolish… that's what they all have said. But I cannot forget her," he replied, swallowing. The tears ceased as he stared at the priest with bitter eyes. His voice was soft, a mere echo against the stone. "I see her sometimes. Walking along a street, sitting on the belfry… staring in my window or gazing at the stars in the night as though to find some solace. But when I rise to greet her, she vanishes as no more than a dream."

Kakashi sighed before resting a hand on the young noble's shoulders. "It is only your heart that yearns for her. Your want to see her makes you believe that you are."

Deciding that she had seen enough, Sakura slipped out the back exit onto the roof, ignoring the pain that registered in her chest.


	2. The City

**Author's Notes:Wow... I guess you all like it. ^_^; So here's the next part, its slightly longer. Thanks to all of y'all who put this on a favorites/ alerts list. Special thanks to my reviewers:**

**Gobi5no5Houkou- Glad you liked it. **

**Takara Mokoto- lol thank you very much. I'll try to keep up with both. ^^**

**Bluebarry pie- the dialogue was intended to be a bit more formal as of the loose time period I am using. And provided I continue to get good feed back, I'll keep writing.**

**Now... on to the tale...**

The roof tops were barren, hidden from the eyes of the world below while revealing such a greater world to those who could access their secreted beauty. From atop the belfry, hidden by the shadows and illuminated solely by the moon, Sakura leaned her head on her knees as she watched the sun descend, and the true face of the city come alive. Pulling up her mask of black, the young woman lithely dropped down to the inner roof, running down the spiral stair case four steps at a time with her long strides. As she passed the second level, another dark figure joined her, clothed entirely in shadows. Their feet hit the lower level at the exact moment and then they were moving through the haunting alleys of the choir loft, unafraid of the tall, ghost like figures that seemed to follow them before the organ and then over the side of the loft once more.

With a light landing, the pair darted through the rafters, no more than flickers against the tall ceiling to those who may have been below. For to the outside world they were merely legends, figures that were never real but a trick of the eye. This was to their advantage, for to be known was to be hunted and within this black world of darkness there was no escape when the demon hounds were unleashed after ones blood. No, not even they, the ghosts of the Head Families' pasts were safe if the watch was called. Save for in the Sanctuary, the Cathedral that stood abandoned.

Pausing before a single window depicting that of the Banishment from the Garden of Eden, the pair reached up to slowly touch the apples on either side before slipping past the pein of glass as though it did not exist into the concealed tunnels. Priests had at one time used them to hide from the persecution, now they served the Guardians of their city well.

The viridian eyes flickered to the coal black as he nodded. Their movements were fluid, yet darting as they shifting throughout the complicated labyrinth of tunnels until they came to a single door. Sakura's slowly reached for it when his vice like grip caught her wrist, drawing her closer to him. "Remember," he whispered, his voice sending chills over her spine with its intensity. "Nothing more, nothing less….I will be waiting…"

"You have no need to fear for my saftety; you were my instructor."

"And you have yet to surpass me. Therefore, be alert and cautious," he answered before fading into the shadows.

Nodding, Sakura slowly pushed open the door to step out of the mausoleum. Eyes sweeping the deserted streets of stone, she edged along the walls until she reached the small gravekeeper's gate. Slipping over the wicked iron fences, she dropped soundlessly. The moment her feet hit the pavement, she was off, sprinting through the district as she took out her bow. Pulling specific arrows, she struck her blade flint on a wall as she dashed past, catching the sparks on the oil soaked rags. The flame flickered up, and then it was off her bow, through the open window of the lavish mansion. Following the first shaft with a second, she sent it slamming through the glass.

Screams rang through the streets but she paid the no heed as she turned the corner of the block sharply. Pausing for the first time in her steps, she knocked a twin shaft as she lit them quickly before sending the pair directly between the lattice of the Uchiha gardens, watching with satisfaction as the flickering fire spread along the vines like acid eating through wood. Then she was off once more.

With two oil arrows left, Sakura continued until she reached the final mansion. Then with the skill of a practiced assassin, she sent them spiraling into the rice paper walls on either side. Satisfied as the creature of flames steadily ate at the rice paper and spread up into the wooden walls, Sakura shouldered the bow silently before melding into the dark stone walls.

Stepping slowly and precisely, she turned a corner into the dark alleys. Her sensitive hands found the piping she sought and then her body was weaving its way upwards to the forgotten rooftops. Her feet pounded against the roof tiles as she leapt neatly over the gap. Breaking her fall with a neat summersault, she did not stop to scan for enemies. No one had seen the Guardian, nor would they ever.

Without remorse, her steps led her to the fallen district of the city. Dropping to the ground, she pulled off her face mask and allowed it to drape along her neck as she slowly walked through the moon bathed streets. Leering eyes, and frightened faces peered at her from the shadows. Lost souls, condemned to a life that could not prosper beneath the tyranny that now held sway.

Her heart pitied them, her soul identified with the sorrowful eyes that were hidden in the shadows. Like them, she was no more than a forgotten citizen. But yet, she knew that she could never be one of them. She had been the noble that caused their tears. She had fallen into the naïve trap of the game of power and forgotten the other world which existed beyond the mansion grounds, the world that cried for a savior. Until he had taken her away and showed her. And now she knew that she would never be able to pay off her debt.

Pausing as she noticed a small girl huddled against the bottom of the bridge, Sakura reached in her belt to pull out a lump of bread. It was not fresh, but none here would care. It would serve to sustain them until the next meal they could thieve from the vendors. As the child reached out cautiously, like a dog that has been kicked away several times, Sakura waited patiently and then allowed the girl to take it from her grasp.

The young woman's green eyes noted the twin black scars that accented the girl's wrists. Those who were caught were given such marks by the Uchiha's to brand them with the crime for which they had been caught. The marks of the underground world that the nobility ignored and then punished. Her anger burned at the thought of it as she watched the little girl scurry away with a smaller boy. No one deserved the life they had been forced to.

Her feet carried her through the darkest city areas without fear as she slowly approached the chapel and slid inside its doors. Bowing, she proceeded up the aisles to sit under the reflections of the chrisom stained glass. The eyes stared at the tile, seeking peace, but her heart burned with a fire that could not be tamed. The oil of her fury fueled it beyond her minds ability to control.

Burning the in anguish of her mind, she rose after but a moment to cross to the Viscan harp. Her fingers wove over its strings without thought, tuning as she tested each note. And then they began to weave the music through the air, filling it with the intensity that was plaguing her soul.

It held the wailing of the child, the screams for relief beneath the current of dignity. The despairs soft weeping whispered against the battle ballad that was slowly knitting into the bars. Her fingers continued to mold its melody as they wove a harsh anger mixed into the bitter sounds of her story. As her fingers plucked the last harsh cord, Sakura listened as a organs soothing droll sang throughout the church, continuing her song while adding in the story of his own.

Hypnotic, softly telling of the betrayal and quiet relief amidst the undercurrent of quick vengeance. The intensity of the hell which would be raised, and the gentle ebb into bliss. There was silence as the sound paused, and then her melody gently followed his in a brilliant coaxing harmony of near seduction within the deep ripple of movement. The final cord echoed softly to die to silence as Sakura sat silently staring at the soft chrisom ribbons lining down her hands. The soft tips of her fingertips had not touched the rough cords for many years, and the result was the ache which now spread through them.

Rougher hands reached out to caress her own, wiping away the blood and applying the slightest pressure. They were tanned, but sculpted with calluses. A sign of hard work mixed in with the sign of pure blood. Looking up into the eyes of their owner, Sakura studied the deep coal eyes that could become like steel or melded down to liquid silver like they were now. His lips were tilted in the smallest of smiles, the twinkle in his eye barely concealed. "You should take better care of your hands…" he said softly. "It wouldn't do to have a bloody bowstring, now would it?"

With a small smile of her own, Sakura pulled out a small salve from her pouch and with some help, opened it. Dipping each of the bleeding fingers into the gooey substance, watching as the clear solid coated each before waiting a few seconds, then wiping them on the towel. "That's why you gave me this, so I could seal them until they heal properly," she purred. "For who would want the grunge? That would be a sorry end to an assassin."

He chuckled dryly. "Indeed it would," he mused leaning forward to plant a gentle kiss to her forehead.

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The bubbling flow of the market place pulsed around her. Though she was part of its flow, she was not of it. For the people that moved and shifted throughout the street vendors and various shops did not notice her anymore than a dog. Tying her head shawl securely, she entered the shop. Her green eyes sought out the owner as she felt the small amount of money that had been tucked into her sleeve by Itachi. "Excuse me…. I need to purchase a gown," she said as she reached the counter.

"What kind of gown?" the tailor asked with a tricky smile as she noted the red and black beads around the woman's waist. So… this was another of Itachi's contacts.

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The sickening feeling washed over her body as she entered the great mansion. Sakura had never wanted to return to the prude society that she had once embraced so fully. Now as she stared at the lavish settings, she felt her stomach sour. People were dying of desolation in the streets while people like them wasted their blessings. A masquerade ball was irony to her, as she stared at the multicolored faces. For the nobility never took off their masks; nothing was real in action or emotion that they produced.

It was a struggle to maintain her own smile as she allowed Itachi to steer her through the crowd. But she did so, for the sake of the greater purpose. As they reached the dance floor, Itachi paused before taking her hand and bringing her into a wheeling waltz. Her feet responded with light steps, but this was nothing pure, like the dances they shared in the cathedral. It was merely a façade, a chance to pick out their targets as they moved amongst the people who had abandoned them, who were responsible for the dire state of the city's poor. The emerald eyes darkened as she stared at the buttons adorning Itachi's coat, hiding the emotions welling in her heart.

"It is indeed sad," he whispered softly as he continued to lead her in time with pulsating music that dominated the room. "But as you see the gluttony and covetousness in this room, do not forget that you were once one of them. You have made the correct stand, Sakura, even if you do not see the difference yet. The lightest thread can still tip the scale."

"But it will still be weighted in their favor. As I see the elaborate gowns, and the jeweled masks, I cannot help but despair. They will never be anything better than the destruction that they are," she replied quietly. "The people I once respected are now the lowest criminals, and the children I once considered friends have become my mortal enemies…"

Itachi's hand tightened on her waist reassuringly as he drew her closer to his chest. " 'And it was then I truly despaired, for within their eyes, I was condemned.'" he quoted the philosopher Jiriya in her ear. "'For it was not for any sin, but for the good that I had accomplished within their realm of hell.'"

Swallowing, she picked up where he had left off. "'My friends became my enemies, and my family was cast out. But we were free of the bondage of Nobility. In this freedom we could not be free to right the wrongs of this city, in hopes that it would one day return to its glory. I became the light which was to smite this darkness, so that it would never more shatter the souls of the earth…'" she completed, her eyes meeting his acceptingly. "The reason we do what we do. The reason we are damned by those who were our friends."

The silence hung, bitter sweet. She could not deny that she was comforted by his prescience, but the dark emotion of her sorrow mixed within the rage of her contempt made her stiff and rigid. Her eyes swept over the crowd sparkling with fury beneath her simple mask of satin. And then she felt shock jolt through her system as she stared into a second pair of coal eyes that were tracing their movements.

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	3. A Masquerade

**Author's Notes: Thanks to all of y'all who put this on a favorites/ alerts list. Special thanks to my reviewers:**

**RozenMaiden14:Thankyou. I couldn't help but make Jiryaa a philosopher.**

**Takara Mokoto: Thank you. *nod* I'll try.**

**Hayhayhiltz: Lol a lot of people seem to like it, and I'm glad you enjoy it.**

**Now... on to the tale...**

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The emerald eyes met the coal colored eyes coldly, staring at him blatantly behind her mask of elegant black satin. Her hands tightened slightly in Itachi's grip, holding herself in time with the older male as they continued to dance. Sakura would never need justification to go after him; she could read in his eyes that he believed himself above all others. Some one who did not belong in a position of power.

Itachi's hand on her waist tightened warningly. As her gaze swept to him, Itachi said quietly, "Leave my younger brother for me… He has yet to learn his place." There was such an intense flicker of anger in his eyes that she merely nodded before casting her eyes down.

As the songs closing cord rang out, they stepped simultaneously from the dance floor and began mingling within the crowd. Sakura could feel eyes at her back as she carefully kept close to Itachi's stoic prescience. Her back remained ramrod strait beneath the flowing frill of her dress, her steps small despite her hidden bare feet. It was as though she could not escape its scrutiny. With a pleading glance at Itachi, she slowly moved away and set her back against a wall where she could see the members of the room more clearly.

The lighthearted music irritated her tensed mind as her eyes swept over each figure conversing within the room. There were two figures that caught her eye, each watching her closely. The first was the man she had noticed on the dance floor; he seemed to be watching her with interest. The second was that of the young man she had seen in the church; Naruto, if her mind recalled the name correctly. But she could still sense that she was missing someone.

As she turned, Sakura slowly found herself staring into a pair of lilac eyes. The young man's scrutiny was like ice from beneath the proud eagle mask he wore. She held it levelly as she wove through the crowd toward him. "It is impolite to stare at a Lady," Sakura said quietly.

"My apologies, Lady…?" the nearly white gray eyes flickered with interest, scanning down her form.

"Cherie." Sakura replied icily before turning her back to him. As she was about to step back into the chattering crowd, he caught her wrist. His voice was like the winter breeze, sending chills up and down her spine as it ghosted across the back of her neck.

"Forgive me, then Lady Cherie…. But though it is a masquerade, there is no need to give a false name," the white eyed Hyuuga returned coolly.

Her green eyes hardened to the darkest emeralds as she twisted her wrist from his grip. Without thought, she squared her shoulders, meeting him eye to eye as the stared him down coldly. The air around her seemed to take on frigid qualities as she quietly whispered, "Please do not touch me. I don't know what you are talking about Lord Hyuuga, but reframe from putting your hands on me or I will do something about it."

He met the challenge in her gaze with ease. The eyes behind the eagles face were like blizzards that threatened to consume her. "You obviously have forgotten your past, Lady Haruno. And for that I pity you. Did the attack on your father so grieve your mind that you have forgotten what you really are?" he questioned, the scorn in his voice like knives, digging at her emotional armor. "Or are you so easily _bent_ before a man with your father gone that you simply have no will to return."

There were few insults that could anger Sakura beyond her ability to think. But she would never tolerate being called a whore. With every ounce of her strength, she drew back her hand and slapped him across the face. "How dare you," she snarled her voice venomously soft. "You knew nothing of me in the past, and you never will. Tell me Neji, have you walked outside the precious manner into the city that you are responsible for? This city is rotting from the inside out while you sit in here and drink!"

Rubbing the red imprint on his cheek, the Hyuuga met her gaze with the same cold expression behind his mask. The lilac eyes darkened in what could only have been a confirmation as he stared. The tension in the air seemed to crackle between them as the music faded from within the small conversation. Sneering at her contemptuously, he turned on his heel to peer at her over his shoulder. "A Haruno mingling with the poor… how pathetic. You can be certain that the Hyuuga will never be caught doing such."

"And for that reason you will be the first to fall," she breathed under her breath as he strode off. Fury made her form shake as she settled slowly down, taking deep breaths.

Cool hands slid to take hers from her side and draw them up as Itachi kissed them gently. "You should not be so flustered on the arrogance of others.." he cautioned lowly.

She merely nodded in reply not trusting her words at the moment. "Let's leave…." She said quietly. "Before something more happens and I burn this place to the ground."

"I had assumed that you were already going after them," Itachi mused in her ear before leading her out the door. The eyes that watched narrowed, but the party resumed as the pair slipped into the comfort of the night.

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The church's tolling bells sang the sun above the horizon. From atop the belfry, she merely sat and watched the growing light. The green eyes, however, remained dark despite the sun's smiling gaze. Tucking tighter into a ball, Sakura watched the city stir to life.

She watched as the lower life city slowly stirred and made its way to work, noticing as the curtains of the manors were opened by the maids. Her green eyes saw the gardener's walking out the door to begin tending the massive estates, noted the cook lighting his ovens. The small bubbles of conversation threaded through the cool morning air to the unseen figure as she watched them.

Rising as the breeze swept her hair up around her like a halo, Sakura closed her eyes to enjoy the moment of purity as she breathed in the scent of a storm. Her arms spread as the wind swirled around her form. Opening her eyes as the wind slowly died, she slowly came down from her moment of peace to stare at the storm clouds that rolled over the eastern horizon. They promised a wild, longer night of weather.

"Itachi," she called lightly into the bell tower, her voice ringing off the dark stones as it echoed.

There was a pause and then the stoic figure was beside her, staring out over the city to note the large thunder clouds that churned. "It is going to be a heavy storm…" he observed as flickers of light became apparent in the rolling black masses.

She nodded in agreement. "It is ideal for a thieving mission to the Hyuuga manor. The storm will cover all traces of our prescience," she added softly. "There will not be a more opportune moment."

"Think carefully before you act, Sakura," Itachi cautioned, his eyes darkening with slight disapproval. "The Hyuuga will be expecting some event to occur, especially because of last night's event. Underestimating them would be a serious error in their favor."

Accepting the criticism, she turned her gaze once more to the city. Her eyes swept over its inhabitants before pausing as she noted that there was something wrong. "There is something strange about the Hyuuga's manor," she stated with a pensive frown. "Something is not right."

Itachi followed her gaze, studying the building. Her words were true, the building lacked an attribute that he could not place. As he studied its vast form meticulously, the steel gaze finally noticed the difference. "The blinds are still drawn," he identified as he felt his mind process the lack of movement around the general area of the manor. "That is unusual; the Hyuuga always open the eastern windows at dawn. Why would that change?"

Sakura's gaze studied the estate carefully. But her eyes were drawn else where as she noted abnormalities spreading throughout the normal city life. The street rats were retreating back into their alleys, the townsmen were ill at ease within the crowded market. And then as she traced the abnormalities, she saw a subtle flash of gray flicker and disappear among the people as horror overtook her surprise. "They've sent the Kitsune after us…" she whispered in shock as she traced the movements that were steadily moving towards them from all sides. "Neji knows! He must have had me followed last night."

"Then we need to disappear," Itachi said, as he turned sharply to disappear down the winding steps.

Pivoting, Sakura followed at a run. Her pink hair trailed behind her like a banner as she sprinted to grab the small sack of belongings that she carried. Slipping her knife belt over her head, she mentally counted the blades as she quickly destroyed everything that could incriminate Kakashi or leave a trace of their prescience. That which she could not destroy she took with her, leaving only a small scroll that held an illumination of a dove. No one would question its place in the church. But Kakashi would know what it meant.

Dropping silently down to the choir loft, she saw Itachi waiting impatiently by the red stain glass that would give them sanctuary beneath the ground. But as she moved for the rafters that would take her there, the mighty cathedral doors swung open with a boom to reveal four ghost like figures.

They were dressed in gray, black, and mottled silver, hoods covering their faces. Blackwood bows rested at each's shoulder, a full quiver of black fletched arrows visible. Heavy knives like wise rested at their hips, barely visible beneath their swirling cloaks. The upper part of their face was entirely concealed, yet their eyes seemed to pierce through the area as though they were endowed with the ability to see one's soul.

Stilling instantly, Sakura stared at Itachi. Her eyes pleaded with him nervously as he ever so slightly shook his head, ordering her to stay still. Beneath them on the floor, the four figures each entered slowly, drawing the wicked blades. Sakura could see the wicked eyes sweeping the church as they divided, each moving to take an area individually as they scoured each crevice.

Painfully slow, she edged her way out onto the first beam. Each movement was timed, made when she knew their backs were turned. But every time as they turned once more, Sakura felt her breath catch in her throat as she remained perfectly still. Itachi aided her with small motions of his hands. It was as though she were trapped in a dangerous game of ghost in the graveyard with stakes beyond reason.

Edging forward, she found herself at the edge of the first beam. She would have to jump to reach the second. And the guards were directly below her. Itachi's eyes warned her to stay as they noted her position telling her not to do it. Shaking her head in reply, she glanced downwards to time the movement carefully. Three of the four where directly below her, facing the direction she had come from. The other was in a farther corner of the church, seeming to study the harp.

As they seemed to become preoccupied, Sakura took a deep breath once more. And then she sprinted forward before leaping the gap. As her hands reached out to seize the beam, she realized with horror that she had not jumped far enough. Her legs would not make it onto the beam and if her hands did not connect, the fall would kill her. Seizing the beam, Sakura cringed as her shoulders were jolted with the weight of her body, but she did not cry out. Swallowing it as she hung on, she hauled upwards slowly to drag her body farther onto the beam. But her arms were not strong enough on the slick surface.

Sliding back as she began to loose grip, Sakura attempted to swing her legs up without luck as she likewise kept a wary eye on the Kitsune below. If any of them looked up, they would be caught. From his position against the wall, she noticed Itachi slowly creeping forward along the beam on his stomach. Pausing as he reached her, he grabbed her forearms before easing her up onto the beam. Slowly, inch by inch, she followed him to the red glass. But as they were about to open the glass, four sets of eyes glanced upwards to notice the pair of silhouettes against the chrisom background of the Passion.

Knowing that there was no time, Sakura watched the four as they sprinted for the stairs to the choir loft. Throwing open her secret window, she quickly shut and locked it behind her as she sprinted off down the passageways. The shriek of shattering glass was grim foreshadowing to her pursuer's entrance into the secret passages that had once been their sanctuary, and were now to become their prison. The game had turned to a sick version of cat and mouse; there was no doubt in her mind that she was the mouse.

Her steps were light, timed as she used the shadows to conceal herself down each twisting turn of the labyrinth like halls. The soft pants of her breath seemed to be magnified to her ears as she skillfully evaded the malicious foes who sought her blood. Slipping within the walls, she wove through the area like a silent breeze.

It was as though eternity passed within those small, tight corridors, but she never stopped running, evading or moving until she was certain that there was no longer anyone behind her. It was then, and only then that she dashed for the exit. Her blades were in her hands by instinct as she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Two flashed out to strike the shadows that rested ahead of her, thudding dully in the flesh of a man instead of the stone clang.

She paused only to wrench her blades from their throats as she ran. Her feet pattered against the stone like a silence that could not be broken. Her eyes located the brilliant red tile that she sought and then she was hurtling down into the darkness, the ever friendly darkness which would conceal her.

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"_It was nothing more than a masquerade, and we all wore our masks without question, though we never saw our own faces. Until one dares look in the mirror, they are under an illusion. And then their reality will be shattered," – Jiryaa._

**R&R**


	4. Seperated Again

**My disclaimer is at the beginning, enough said.**

**Authors notes: Wow… I would never have guessed this to be so popular. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and review if you'd like more. ^^ Special thanks to my reviewers:**

**Jesselovemeto:**** I couldn't wait to write more, so I guess it all works out, no?**

**Takara Mokoto:**** I couldn't resist adding that in there… especially to the Icecube.**

She paused only to wrench her blades from their throats as she ran. Her feet pattered against the stone like a silence that could not be broken. Her eyes located the brilliant red tile that she sought and then she was hurtling down into the darkness, the ever friendly darkness which would conceal her.

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_"It is not the darkness that we need fear, but the creatures that lurk inside it-" Yondaime Uzumaki, 1rst Lord_

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"Itachi?" she called softly through the darkness as she walked out of the tunnels, sliding the large stone back in place. Her green eyes swept the graveyard, searching for some hint of his black cloak, the smallest shift in the shadows or his stormy smell. But there was nothing.

Then he was beside her, pulling her into a frantic sprint as the pair wove through the head stones and gates towards the inner city. "We don't have time." he said between breaths as they leapt the gate. "There is more than just the Kitsune after us…"

Her eyes widened as she spotted a flickering shadow to the left, one that was keeping pace as they aimed at them with a black bow. Pulling Itachi down as she saw the release of the archer's fingers, she rolled behind a grave stone, losing sight of her partner as she popped to her feet. Forcing herself to continue to run, she jumped the low wall, narrowly avoiding another shaft. It was as though a ghost were chasing her, for nothing more than malignant purposes.

The soft thuds of her feet against the pavement were near silent as she entered the poorest section. There were few havens where she could seek refuge in this area of the city, but she was familiar with its layout. Sliding up her face mask as she bolted, she was silently thankful for the black material which hid everything save her eyes. It was one protection that would never fail her.

Pausing in her flight, she turned quickly down a dead end alley and then shimmied up the pipe to the roof. Drawing her throwing daggers, she noted the silver shadow that raced along the ground beside her roof top. Her mind made a sharp decision as she wheeled, jumping the rooftop to her right. Hitting the tiles full sprint as she changed direction, she headed for the bridge. The turn would buy her perhaps a minute of time, as the Kitsune would be forced to run to the next cross street and then back before he would be able to catch up with her once more.

As her mind hit sixty, Sakura dropped down off the side of the building onto a flour bag. Heading down the alley, she counted the doors. Reaching the fifth, she slipped inside, closing the door quickly behind her as she silently surveyed the room. Aware that she would have only a few seconds as she heard the sound of approaching boots, Sakura slammed her knives into the soft wood. It would allow her to stand without her feet being visible.

The door leading into the hotel swung open a moment after she had hidden behind the hanging and stilled its movements. Her sharp ears noted the echo that sounded on the wood. There was more than one person in the room before her. Stilling save for a few shallow breaths, she closed her eyes, spreading her senses throughout the room.

She could smell rose water mixed with lilacs, something akin to a summer storm, and another that seemed almost like a wood land. Each was unique, subtle as though it was not intended to be noted. There was also a bitter smell of dye, one of the stronger ones which produced dark colors. The small sounds of the rustling of wool and the softer sounds of cotton met her ears as she listened to several chairs scrape across the floor. "Of all the places, Hyuuga, I would not have expected you here."

"It is the one place, Uzumaki, that they will not look for us either. The precise reason I chose this… hovel," the Hyuuga replied, remaining dignified.

"Then let us get down to business," a low voice said coldly, a voice that she nearly mistook for Itachi's. But it was not the same tone, it was too sharp.

There was a pause, and Sakura mentally pictured the Hyuuga prodigy nodding in agreement. She felt as though she could see the entire scene in her mind. Neji's voice broke out sharply. "The masquerade provided information that we did not expect. Sakura Haruno is still alive… and she is working with our assassin."

Silence hung for a moment before she heard a small snort of disbelief. "That is not possible. Sakura Haruno was a noble woman that the assassin killed three years ago along with the rest of her clan. She was weak even for one of the Lord's daughters. Someone who was so emotional could not have taken to that trade. It is impossible."

"There was no body," Neji replied coldly. "This explains why. As to her being of the gentle sex… believe me, she has very much become the assassin's."

The quietest voice now chose to speak, that of the young man who had visited the church. Naruto Uzumaki, she thought silently, a small stab of regret in her heart. He had been a pure soul before society had corrupted him so vilely. "The bruise below your eye was from her, isn't it?" he asked with a small smirk in his tone. "The woman at the party who slapped you; that was her."

"Yes." Neji replied quietly. "My family has sent the Kitsune after her to capture her and bring her back to my estate. They should be arriving shortly with a report on the situation."

"As a Haruno, she has claim to the second Lord position," Sasuke stated, his voice cold. "Which presents an issue."

"Precisely," Neji replied. "We need to eliminate her before it becomes known that Sakura Haruno survived."

Sakura felt dizzy as she kept her breathing ever so slight. Repressing the urge to shudder as the three continued to speak of treachery. Everything against her family had not been Itachi, she pieced together mentally. It had been the others. Feeling a slight breeze enter the room, she took a deep breath and could taste a bitter smell. The Kitsune had come for a report.

A moment's silence hung, and then the young man spoke. "We lost them both in this area. Kiba and Shino sustained damage, but it was not fatal. Lee is currently flushing out their bases with the help of Gaara." He reported shortly. "The Haruno girl left a trail of blood that we are tracking."

_Damn!_ Sakura thought, staring at the chrisom that was on her clothes. She had forgotten that the guard's blood would coat her; Itachi would have berated her for not cleaning it off before concealing herself. Mentally cursing herself as the silent hung, Sakura ignored her need to escape. Doing so now would put her against three lords and a Kitsune.

"Keep after her, Shikamaru," Neji ordered cooly. "Failu-"

Another door burst open and Sakura heard the sound of steel being drawn. Turning her head to the side to look at the door, she saw another of the Kitsune enter, clearly expecting a fight. "Shikamaru, we traced the blood to this location… and there is no other traces of it around the building or roof tops," a low, grisly voice said stiffly. "She's in here."

Sakura cursed herself once more as she stared out the side of the hanging, able to see the cruel green eyes beneath the gray hood. They were without love or mercy, a steady gleaming of hellish hate. Three lords… three kitsune. The odds just kept getting worse, she thought to herself as she stared down at her feet for a moment. _Can anything else possibly go wrong?_

She stilled instantly as she felt the green eyes pass over, then lock onto her own. And then Sakura bolted. Ripping the hanging down she threw it outwards as she dropped sharply to pull her knife blades out and roll past the chaos of the Lords. Dodging a grab from the one Kitsune, she jumped to her feet and sprinted for the door. But as she took the leap, Gaara reached it first. Dropping sharply, she slid between the Kitsune's legs.

Popping up from the ground, the young woman sprinted forward for the door. But as her fingers gripped the handle and twisted, the door remained in place and her momentum sent her slamming into it. Cursing darkly, she felt hands seize her cloak, attempting to gain some purchase on her small flesh. By instinct, she turned a pivot kick aiming high.

Rewarded with a satisfying "oomph", she felt the hands slacken. Taking advantage of it, she hammered two more blows into their stomach before jumping sharply to catch the rafters and swing herself up. Kitsune did not fall for the same gamble twice, she knew. And as the second jumped up to intercept her, Sakura jumped for a narrow beam. Her hands gripped its solid edge, sending her swinging across the room and through the window.

Glass scraped her body harshly as it shattered around her, but it was a small price to pay. For as she felt her feet hit the ground, she knew that she had the time she needed. Bolting down the alley, she quickly shed her clothing, save for her head wrap and her under layers. Discarding her shoes as she ran, she stifled the bloody cuts on her body with the extra material of her outer shirt. Carefully cleaning all traces of blood from her in the concealing shadows, she tied a knot around her leg where a particularly nasty gash resided before getting to her feet. Her eyes scanned the area thrice before she began moving, heading for the one safe house she knew would not have been discovered.

As her feet carried her to a high stone wall, she shifted a set of six stones to the left before crawling into the small passage. Following its length after closing the entrance, she reached the hollow room beneath the Uzumaki floors. She and Itachi had discovered it by mistake, but it had served as a makeshift hide out ever since. The area, though only one section, was tall enough to stand in and was sufficiently stocked to hold out for two weeks or so.

Taking off the bandage as she noticed blood seeping onto her black pants, Sakura examined the jagged cut. Glass fragments blatantly stood out of the wound, and it bled freely in streams down her leg now that bandage no longer restricted it. Biting her lip as she took out her knife, Sakura cut along the wound, extracting the shards from her flesh with the point. Fire seemed to bite her each time she probed for more pieces, but there was no concoction to ease her pain. At the church, Kakashi had kept a vast store of herbs. Here there was no such thing.

Taking out the needle and thread from her supply kit, Sakura began stitching after applying a heavy alcohol to the wound to purify it. Stitching methodically as she put her back to a wall, she closed the edges neatly before tying it off. Drowsily, she waited for Itachi to arrive. There was an unspoken agreement that he would find her within the city within three days. If he did not, then Sakura was to return to the cathedral until news arrived of his death or capture, or he appeared there.

Sakura rested her head against the wall patiently as she fell in and out of a dreamless sleep. Shifting only when her body was too sore to remain, she listened to the voice over head and continued her watch for Itachi.

Time seemed to drag as the first day passed, and then another. Anxiously, she wondered if he had been captured, or if he, like Sakura, was in hiding. Her leg had healed sufficiently, but she knew it was impossible for her to run or move as she usually did. For pain still jolted through her at the slightest stretching of the skin. As her eyes began to drift close once more, Sakura curled up into a tight ball… and then her eyes caught a flicker of movement in the passage.

"Itachi?" she whispered quietly as the form came closer and the door slid shut once more. But as she watched the figure's movements, she frowned. Itachi did not move as stiffly, nor did his usual 'hn' of reply answer her question. As she drew her knives defensively, she noted that the person was small, perhaps the size of a child.

"Who's Itachi?" the young girl asked, her eyes confused as she stared at Sakura with her large hazel eyes. They were cloudy, filled with confusion and distrust. Sakura wondered if the child had always been blind. "He's a friend of mine." she answered quietly.

"Well, he's not me. What are you doing here? And how did you find my hideout?" the girl demanded.

Sakura spoke softly, trying to mollify the young street rat. "I've known about it for a long time… and I'm waiting here until my leg heals. It was cut badly. I have not been able to move much and so I hid here to wait for him. If he's not back tomorrow, I will have to leave."

"I see," the young girl stated, leaning over to pick up one of the bloody clothes. "That explains the smell of blood and alcohol. You can stay if you must. But once your friend comes, you need to leave. This is my only hide away from the street gangs; if they see you leaving, I'll never be safe."

"Don't worry," Sakura promised. "No one will bother you because of us…" As the young girl sat down and took out a small spool, Sakura sighed before allowing herself to fall into a light sleep. There was nothing more she could do but wait. And if she was waiting, she may as well get some rest.

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_"They will not hurt what is mine ever again. For they will learn the price for inflicting such pain upon her will not be one hundredth of what I return."- Itachi Uchiha._

_"Though they hunted day and night, we were safe. The nobles may have owned the city by monetary influence, they may have hired the best trackers… but the city was not their home. To us who knew its secret places, who owned its depths, they were no more threat than a blind eagle is to a hawk. The City was our sanctuary, and within it, we could accomplish everything we desired undetected." -Jiryaa_

**R&R If you want more….**


	5. A Guardian's Vengence, A Lover's Tears

**Author's Note: This is a continuing of the last chapter.... I hope it doesn't kill you, but I'm curious to see what you think has happened. Thanks will be at the end, cause I really don't want to torture you any longer....**

Her steps were heavy as she walked through the silent city. Tears trailed down her cheeks from eyes hidden beneath a widow's black veil. She moved slowly and methodically, as though time itself was a burden to her. Her simple dress was of no more than a light cotton, but the bitter chill of the wind did not seem to effect her as she walked through the City's desolate streets with her head bowed. Silent shadows observed her, but they left her in peace as she made her way to the chapel. For even the criminals should grieve before their threads were severed from the tapestry of life.

As the large, dark wood oaken doors opened, she made her way slowly into the arms of the silver haired father. And it was there that she allowed her stoic barriers to cease. Collasping into his arms as she wept bitterly into his chest, Sakura felt that there would be no solace for her. Each sob ripped her shattered soul, grinding her heart, her very being to dust as she cried.

The older priest cradled her shaking form in his arms, a stone wall that never changed against the storm of her sorrow. Like a mountain, he held her tightly, keeping her form true. "Everything is my fault… If I had not lost my temper… if I had not been as rash at the masquerade as to expose myself…. He would be alive," she sobbed softly into his stoic form.

"We cannot change things as they are…" Kakashi whispered softly in her ear, holding her close. "We can only live in the future. Do what you must… but remember that revenge will never sate the chasm that now resides within your heart."

The tears ceased as she slowly backed up so that she could look at him in the eye. The emerald eyes were endless pools of which some would drown, before striking the stone beneath. "There is only one purpose for me now… I must finish it, Kakashi…" she said softly, her voice firming with resolve. "I am the only Guardian left… so I must be the one to pull it from its darkness back to the golden light of its rebirth. No one else will help me."

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"_They claimed that it was seeking revenge that gave her strength to carry on, but Tsunade never once sought to taste the intoxicating notion, for she knew it would be her down fall. No, she held a far greater power within her hands; the rage that consumes when there is nothing left to save one from its driving siren-call…because as they all say 'Broken Love Conquers All' "- Master Jiryaa, Mountain Minstrel and Great Philosopher. _

"_You fear me? There is someone coming after me who is much worse. This is only the beginning of your pain."_

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His eyes stared out the window to the estate, the calm lilac gaze darkly stoic. For under the moonless sky's storming gaze, he felt uneasy. Fear was not something that he usually acknowledged, but on this night, he could feel the disturbance in the night, the subtle unease that now gave him no rest.

It had been a mistake to meet with the other Lords before Sakura was captured. His tactical mind thought of the secrets she had likely discovered, the hate that would now burn through her. The lilac eyes narrowed sadly as he turned away from the window to stare at the dark chamber behind him. Lavish furnishing decorated this part of the room; if she had been there to see it, she would have scorned him… the old Sakura would have loved it.

Silently he wondered at his own obsession with catching the pink haired woman. A small, bitter part of his heart acknowledged that there was more to his desire to stop the death of his family. Walking to the dresser, he picked up a small gold ring, encrusted with a sparkling, rose colored stone examining it before setting it back on the table and turning his back. She had once been his… and then she had vanished. It was a dark thought him to think that there was no way he could get her back now that she had become who she had become.

His fingers traced the light silk curtains before he felt a prickling sensation at his back. "Don't move." A low voice whispered in his ear.

"I knew it would be you," he said quietly in reply, straitening, the red silk trailing through his fingers like a waterfall to rest back on the pallet.

The nimble fingers that held the blade sent it pressing against his throat as her breath caressed her ear with her soft voice. "Then you should have been ready," she replied with a malicious smile tilting her lips. "You took everything from me… now I will do the same to you. I met your cousin, Neji. I saw what your family did to her eyes. Was she really such a disgrace that you saw it fit to blind her?"

"Yes." Neji stated. "Hinata was weak. She would not accept our family's demands. And so she was cast out. Take whatever you wish, Sakura… it was to be yours anyway."

"The day when I was so blind as to fall in love with you is past Neji Hyuuga… I have heard the cries of the lost in the streets, I have seen the desolation that you have caused… and I will be the one who brings the justice that is right. This City no longer belongs to the Lords, Neji. It is mine."

The blade flicked up from his throat, past his jaw and across the lilac eyes. Screams rent the air, but those who found their source saw nothing more than the gorged eyes of the second Lord. No one took note of the black shadow that disappeared, save for a pair of coal eyes that observed from the background.

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Weariness over took her as she entered the chapel's belfry and slid inside the small area that had become her home. It was the one sanctuary she had been able to retain for extended periods of time. Her soft green eyes stared out at the dawning sun, a small spark of hope lighting them as a rare smile tilted her lips.

Curling her knees tighter to her chest, the young girl tucked her head down before drifting into a light sleep. It would be the only chance to rest that she could get. Her body slowly unwound from its tight position allowing her to rest her head on her shoulder as her mind drifted back…back to the child she had found… and back to the times when her love had existed.

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_Two days Prior…._

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She had waited; she had waited so patiently for him to come. For him to find her. But there was no word, no hint. Her legs ached beyond tolerance, but she could not bare to sit any longer when he could be in far worse pain. Rising slowly, she crossed to the chest which held a few precious sets of clothing. Shedding her black assassin's guise for the ragged dress of a beggar, and tying the shawl about her head carefully, she let out a small gasp as the material ghosted over her bandages. The nerves were still raw, the smallest touch made the pain swarm her body.

Crawling agonizingly slow out of the hideaway, she limped through the streets, keeping her face diverted from the others. Each step sent fire searing through her, but she ignored it as she scanned anxiously for anything that was out of place. Yet nothing met her eyes. Each section she walked street by street, and yet nothing stood out to her. There were no broken windows, no subtle misalignment of a wall. Not even blood.

With a heavy heart, she walked the final edges of city along the manor walls. Using the walls for support, she watched as the storm clouds broke over head, pouring forth their tears over the city of which she was a guardian. As the rain enveloped her, she continued along her path. The guards would not be out in this…

Reaching the gates of the Hyuuga manor, she stumbled suddenly. Forced to grasp on to the gates for support, Sakura rested for a moment before carefully pulled herself back to her feet. Pain lanced her as she stared up at the sky, seeking some comfort. But as she did so, her gaze caught sight of a black and red band hanging from one of the top steers. Painfully latching her feet into the webbing of the gates, the young girl laced her fingers through the iron and began a slow sliding motion upwards. Her fingers skimmed the material; encouraged, she pushed herself higher up the iron wrought form until her fingers could grasp it and take it down. Slipping back down, she turned it over in her palms before freezing as a red symbol caught her eyes. The shattered symbol of a fan… Itachi's…. Unable to breath, Sakura stared at it silently before shouts rang out before her. Turning, she fled, beaded sash in hand as she departed through the streets.

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_Present Day_

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"Saori, Itachi," she whispered as she realized she had tears streaming down her cheeks. It was disrespectful to his memory to become so sentimental. Saori, the apology to a spirit brother, had been her tradition.

Stirring, she slowly wiggled out of her hiding spot and up onto the rooftops. There was still much to be done. Drawing the beaded sash at her waist and pressing her lips to it reminiscently, she sighed. And then she set off, skimming over the roofs as she made her way to the market district. It was not in her will to steal everything, but she had to steal food to survive.

Her jewel like eyes caught sight of a peach cart resting by a convenient drain and instantly, her body took her there. Hooking her legs in the drain piping, Sakura bent back to nab two of the juicy fruit before pulling herself up. Absentmindedly munching as she surveyed the city, Sakura slowly walked along the gutters, the light strawberry hair standing out blatantly against her black clothing.

Along the gutters, she smiled slightly, casting a glance at streets below. With an acrobatic flip, she jumped to the next building and glanced down at the slum street. She met the eyes of the lurkers easily, her steely gaze forcing them back into the shadows. The flint those green orbs held was not to be second guessed.

Dropping down into the slum's cobblestone streets, she strode boldly down the center of the walk, daring the gangs to attack her. The click of her heels against the stone was audible, purposefully so. _Come on you little spies…. You can't resist a treat so blatantly sweet, even if it is a trap,_ she thought as she continued at her leisurely pace.

The shadows ahead of her seemed to darken; her eyes flickered forward neatly, her pace unwavering. As the first knife came spinning for her, Sakura casually leaned down to take her blade from her boot. The throwers blade skimmed over her head, slicing nothing more than the air. Standing strait, her wrist flicked out to pin the unfortunate shadow to the wall. As the chrisom dripped down onto the pavement, her sixth sense made her sway and a blade neatly skimmed by her head. This time her fingers flicked out and a poisoned needle, the type Itachi had taught her to originally kill with embedded in the young man's throat, ending his threat to her.

Walking over to the one pinned in the wall, Sakura smiled bitterly. The cold fury within her emerald gaze made him flinch as she reached out to caress his face lightly with her fingers. He closely resembled her love… but he was no Uchiha. "You should not play in a game that does not concern you. To the Kings and Queens that rest, you are no more than a Pawn to be sacrificed to try and capture a flighty Rook," she whispered in his ear as her hand gripped the blade's hilt that protruded from his shoulder. "You are no Guardian to this City, despite what they may whisper to you. They will forever be after their own good. Run while you live, I will not spare you twice."

Ripping the blade from his shoulder, she cleaned it on one of her spare sashes before returning it in her boot. Looking at the body of the one her poisons had killed, Sakura merely stepped around the corpse. He had been there… one of the ones who had chased her from the Hyuuga manor, one who had disturbed her at the Church. There was no mercy from justice… only vengeance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_ "Justice is white. It is the Law, absolute in every order. Mercy is every shade of silver, the love that softens the Law. Vengeance is the black that twists justice to a personal hate."_

"_Those eyes…. Those haunted green eyes told the story that no words could express. I watched her stop officers with the ice in that gaze. Her prescience held power, and she knew how to use it. She became a savior, a Guardian to those who could not fend for themselves dealing Mercy, Justice, and Hate in every blow."_

**Special Thanks to:**

weasle-cherryblossomluver- Got it done as fast as I could, hun, without botching the quality.

MiserysNightmare- Thanks. ^^ I try to keep it moving

RozenMaiden14- Thank you very much! Itachi may be slightly God-like in the earlier chapters, but you'll see more of his humanity.

Takara Mokoto- Well, this should have answered about Hanabi. As to where Itachi is..... well.... ^^;;;;

**R&R please! I know there are about 80 of you or so reading, so 5 reviews please, or no update..... This is one of the rare times that I'll actually say that and mean it. Even if its merely one word like "Good" that'll work. ^^ Next chapter comes up when I get them.**


	6. Wounds of Betrayal

**Author's Note: So I got the five reviews I asked for. Really big thanks to these guys:**

**Takara Mokoto- Yes, how dare the ice cube. But if you hate him now….. well, enjoy.**

**RosenMaiden- Sorry Hun. ^^; It was part of the story line**

**White Eye Lover- Well, this is a pretty fast update, so enjoy!**

**MiseryNightmare- You'll see, and here is the new Chapter.**

**FurysChaos- Yes, but it was one of the other rookie nine.**

**Now…. On to the tale**

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"You should not be so reckless," Kiri admonished as she stitched at the shoulder wound. The dress maker's gold eyes were motherly as she knotted the thread and cleaned the blood away. The red and black beads at her waist clacked softly as she leaned against the counter, staring at the child before her. A woman of nearly fifty, she was the daughter of Tsunade and Jiryaa, and a close friend to Itachi. Unfortunately, an accident had left her with only one eye, and thus, she had abandoned the Guardian's life.

"I was not; I knew each move of his before he did," Sakura replied calmly, her dark green eyes staring at the wall.

Clicking her tongue against her teeth irritably, Kiri set down the needle. "You're not a God, Sakura. Don't play one," the older woman warned. "It will get you killed."

"I have no need to play God when he has been playing me. I am merely a piece in his set; I know my place in this elaborate game of chess," the Guardian replied her nimble fingers braiding the hemp cord skillfully. Handing the section to Kiri as she finished, she picked up the next bit and continued. In return for Kiri's help with certain medical aspects, Sakura completed certain tasks for the woman that she could not. "A rook can only move so many ways, besides."

The words were cold, bluntly stated. Sakura could read the slight rebuke in her foster mother's eyes, but she did not take back the words. Seeing those Uchiha guards had returned her to the conscienceless Guardian who could not feel; she could not afford weaknesses when she was doing her duty.

Picking up her shirt, she slipped her arms through the sleeves before stiffly moving her arms up, to have her left shoulder lock as it leveled out with her chest. Frustrated, Sakura attempted to raise her arm further, but her weak fingers only released the thin material as her arm dropped back down. With a curse, she leaned down to get it, but Kiri was faster. Helping Sakura to dress, the young woman shook her head. "Indeed… a fact that you know, but do not acknowledge. Learn the difference before it is the death of you, Sakura… you can only be so much of a Guardian. There must be room for a girl as well."

"I cannot afford the luxury of frivolous activities at the moment," Sakura replied, her eyes shining stubbornly.

"You can't _not_ afford them. That shoulder needs rest," Kiri ordered, her arms folding resolutely. "Let yourself be a child for one day. Think of it as intelligence gathering, but that shoulder _will_ be rested or I will lock you in the cellar."

Sakura's emerald eyes took the sight of the older woman irately. Itachi's words echoed in her ears as clearly as if he were whispering them to her as she paused to consider the threat. _"The cellar of any place, manor or not, will always be the most difficult to escape. Guardians avoid areas with only one exit unless there is certainty that they will be able to escape them."_ Kiri's was exceptionally difficult, as it held nothing within its vast depths, and the only exit was through a stout oak door, of which Sakura knew from experience that she would not be able to open. The woman was Itachi's ally for a reason.

With a reluctant acceptance, she nodded. "Will you help me dress then? As a serving girl should?" Sakura inquired. Seeing Kiri's disapproving frown, the Guardian stared. "You said that this could be to gather intelligence. If I pose as one of your servants, than I can easily gain access to the Uchiha manor."

When Kiri did not reply, she continued. "I know that there was an order than you created Lady Uchiha a formal gown for tomorrow evening's ball. Allow me to deliver it and save your bones the journey."

Conceding, Kiri sat on the small wood stool with a sigh. "Go then. But if you strain those arms, so help me God, I will get you in so much trouble...! And I am not going to be aiding you if you get your guttersnipe ass caught. The dress is in the upper room."

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Sakura had not thought that there were so many layers to the dresses. She felt stifled compared to her normal light gear. And yet she felt exposed without her pants, which Kiri had forbidden her to wear. With a small sigh as she focused on taking small steps beneath the flimsy outer skirt, she kept her eyes down, keeping the gown from touching the grime of the flag stone streets.

It really was quite pretty, made of blue silk mixed with a red sash and a whitish blue shawl that was nearly sheer. But to Sakura, who had seen the desolation of the streets compared to the lavish wealth, it was sickening. Such a dress cost around a month's worth of labor to afford for the normal class. Pausing at the gates, she slowly made her way toward the guard until he finally noticed her. She was hard pressed not to smirk when she saw the loose handed way he handled his spear. Clearly he had not been there long. "I'm here to see Lord Uchiha… Tailor Kiriasha sent me with the dress for his wife," she said quietly, keeping her eyes trained down.

As he nodded and opened the gate, she took her time walking up to the main door and then through the portal into the antechamber. Resisting the urge to fidget with the dress, she waited for someone to appear and take the dress from her as she counted time in her mind. Yet still no one appeared. Wondering if she were merely supposed to set the dress down and then leave, Sakura was about to depart when the door to her left opened, and she found herself staring into a pair of emotionless coal colored gazes.

They could have been twins, yet one's gaze held no emotion as compared to his counter part, Sasuke she guessed, held. It was strange to see them both, each a pale reflection of Itachi. "I-i-I," she stuttered, trying to remember why she was there as Sasuke's gaze seemed to pin her to the floor. "I brought the dress from Tailor Kiriasha, Lord Uchiha…."

With a small start as she stared, she noted the scabbard's decorative design which rested at the Lord's hip. It was exactly similar to one of the guards that she had met in the alley way, and she could see a bulk of bandaging beneath his military jacket. "She is a rather flighty whore is she not?" the stoic one questioned.

"Sai." Sasuke's voice held an unspoken command in it as the cold gaze seemed to almost turn red.

"My apologies," Sai replied in the same monotone.

As he turned back to her, Sakura felt her heart stop. Those dark eyes of the Uchiha had always had the strange power to make her feel naked, even beneath the many layers of her dress. She itched to draw the dagger concealed in her sleeve, but she dare not with two of them in the room. As his critical gaze lingered a second more, she fought to keep a sigh of relief from slipping out as he glanced away.

"Put the dress in Lady Uchiha's room," he ordered a servant behind her, who quickly nodded before taking the dress and fleeing. Standing awkwardly, she felt a small flush rising on her cheeks as the gaze returned to her. It held something almost sensual in it, almost pitying. "We will have your master's payment in a moment. Wait here."

With a nod, Sakura fought to keep the meek personality. As he walked out the door with his brother, the Guardian tensed as she heard a lock click into place, and then a second lock. The realization that she was effectively locked in hit a moment before she heard the click of a sword exiting its sheath. "You are in quite a bit of trouble, Lady Haruno," a low voice whispered as his breath tickled the shell of her ear making her shudder as a blade came to sit at her throat.

"I do not know what you are talking about," she said, her voice wavering like that of someone terrified. "I just came to deliver the dress my master made to Lord Uchiha.... I haven't done any-"

A hand silenced her as the figure chuckled dryly. "You do not recognize me? How unfortunate, Lady… you were in my house just a few nights ago, while I was observing the stars from your room on my estate. I know your voice any where, and I am not easily fooled even with my lack of sight."

Her breath caught as the blade pressed slightly harder against her skin, drawing blood in a thin line along her delicate skin. Remaining still, she kept her eyes at the wall refusing to react as her body tensed. "I guessed you'd be coming around soon… I've heard about what you have been doing in the alley's… it is only natural for a Guardian to finish the job," he purred, using the closeness of his body to direct her as he moved her towards the center of the room. "So I made my own special trap to catch my feiry hawk. And you flew right back to my glove."

"I have never been yours," she snapped, turning her eyes to stare at the bandaged face. Fury laced her tone as she shook slightly. It was as though his very touch was creating a fire beneath her eyes, flaring it into a dangerous rage that she was barely able to control. Yet his cool personality held such frost that she felt the tension move through him.

"You were mine not so long ago… but it seems I will have to tame you once more," the voice mused in her ear. There was a pause as she felt him turn to someone behind them. "Hold her."

A blind fold covered her eyes as other hands imprisoned her wrists behind her back with a cruelly tight hold. The blade shifted and then disappeared as she listened to Neji's light steps on the carpeted floors. He did not go far, and Sakura could feel a knot of tension beginning to form in her stomach. The room's light had not changed, but yet, something felt darker, foreboding. The harsh clack of metal resounded behind her, and she turned instinctively before the hands gripping her forced her to stay still. But she struggled.

Manacles were living death. For she knew that once their icy embrace held her arms there would be no hope left of escape. The unrelenting grip tightened and twisted, forcing her already sore arm up her back as she bucked against the hold wildly.

"Be still."

The low voice made her freeze in shock as she took a deep breath. It was not possible, it could not be possible. Yet she knew the tone perfectly, she had heard it many times in the cathedral. Oxygen stilled in her lungs as she felt what remained of her soul shatter to no more than dust, tears gathered behind the blind fold. Finding only enough strength to take a small breath, she smelled his stormy aura and despair clouded her as the manacles closed about her arms. Betrayal stabbed her heart, leaving her numb.

For none other held that tone, save for her missing love, Itachi Uchiha.

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_At Kiriasha's Store_

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"How long ago did you send her out?" a low voice questioned from the shadows, his coal eyes smoldering as he shifted a bishop across the board.

"Little less than four hours ago," Kiri replied, drinking her tea, unconcerned by the heated stare that scrutinized her every move. "It is not unlikely that Mina wished to try on the dress, which will take time as Sakura will have to help her with both."

"You should not have permitted her to leave with her shoulder in such a condition," the figure growled.

Kiri's cool amber gaze swept to him, narrowing. "You should not be involving yourself in her affairs. You chose to disappear, Guardian. As a shadow your reach extends only so far," she admonished. "Sakura was your apprentice's student. Have faith in her."

"They hired the Painter." The words were blunt. "For what reason, I cannot guess, but we both know what he is capable of. The Hyuuga, too, will be looking for revenge against her. The situation is getting beyond her control and you have sent her into the lion's den."

"Well then," Kiri replied, shifting a piece on the chess board. "What is the Wolf going to do about it?"

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"_What is the point now that I've lost everything…"- Sakura Haruno, fiancé of Neji Hyuuga_

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**Whohooo! Hehehe. I'm so curious to find out you all's reaction to that. So R&R to let me know or spork me for doing something so evil.**


	7. Her Tears

Hehe... I'm not so evil as to leave you hanging for too long. So here is the next chapter. Things do get kinda crazy in the next two, so I'm debating on how to devide them up. Let me know if you want a double chapter. And now my special extreme thanks to:

MiseryNightmare: heheh... yes, he is a bastard for that. But read on! Thank you!

WhiteEyeLover: If it is, I'm not really aware of it. I write this when I'm in the mood and all of it comes out of the top of my head. And don't worry about insulting me; its very difficult to. *shrug* And I like to keep my readers guessing.

Takara Mokoto: Yes, they are all, but maybe not in the way you think. Readon to see if your right! And yes, you'll hate the ice cube almost as much as the weasle.

Suggested listening: Cuz I Can or Family Portrait by Pink

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She sat silently in the room, staring at her manacled wrists as she slowly embroidered. The door opened and closed, but she did not move. The moonlight made her skin appear like smooth marble, giving her a statue like quality. As a hand caressed her cheek, the eyes flared and she stiffened, turning away. She could not bring herself to accept the very hand which had betrayed her. The fingers moved to stab the needle through her wrists artery, but another hand caught hers, forcing her to drop it.

There was a small 'hn' of displeasure and then strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her to her feet and turning her to meet those cold coal eyes. "You will behave, Lady." The words were hollow, orders without emotion. "I will call Lord Hyuuga if you insist on attempting to kill yourself."

Sakura nodded and he released her, returning to stand in the shadows. It was a subconscious thing he had always done, yet it stabbed her heart as though he had slapped her. Turning away from him once more, she stared out the window trying to clear her mind of the betrayal. But she could not and tears threatened to spill. "Why?" she whispered brokenly into the night, her voice no more than a wind. "Why?"

The door opened as the Uchiha paused at the door. "Because it is my duty."

The words broke her control as she wept bitterly. He had said the same words to her when he had taken her in; when he had showed her the true City. To hear them now was more than she could bear. Night's silver light waned to dawn and she slowly felt her eyes dry for there were no tears left.

With silent conviction, she rose and walked to the bed. Her shackles prevented her from doing many things. But this was not one of them. Beginning to tie knots in the satin fabric, she took a deep breath and then reached up to hang it from the rafters. Pulling it tight, she fed the edge out the window, cautiously moving it down an inch at a time. The shaking of her hands ceased as she slowly walked over to the window and threw it open, feeling the darkly chilling breeze sweeping over her skin. And then she jumped; the rope in hand.

Landing with a barely audible thud against the brick, she slowly began lowering herself down. The cuffs made the process difficult, but she knew that she could not keep her sanity to be trapped in that place. She had to see Kakashi; she needed to find out what she should do. So many emotions ran through her she was not sure where to begin as her feet eased her down.

Silently landing on the cobblestone, she melded into the shadows as she took a deep breath. Moving silently, she kept her steps small and light beneath the unfamiliar fabric of a dress. Resolve allowed her to move quickly, to keep from despair at the thought of getting past the guards. Arranging her dress, and smoothing it neatly, she approached the gates with regal ease.

The head guard stepped forward to intercept her as her feet seemed to stumble. Fixing him with a haughty look of pure royalty, the former Lady stood strait. "A lady is not to be touched," she warned lowly. "I could have you reported for such a gesture above your place."

"My-my apologies, Lady Haruno," the guard stuttered, staring as though she were an apparition. She scorned him with her eyes and posture, watching as he slowly backed off. Her soul felt tainted as she saw the look of fear in his eyes, but she knew that she could not lose this air, or he would never allow her out. It was a blessing that she had learned, but a blasphemy against what she stood for.

A cool breeze swept the desolate area of the gates. Sakura kept her back strait, refusing to shudder at the chilling fingers that seemed to sweep down her back. She was so close… she just needed to hold her prescience here. Something ominous seemed to hand in that breeze, making the small hairs on the back of her neck stand up. But fear was not an emotion she could display if she wished to complete her goals. But as she drew the breath to order the gates open, ice cold fingers seized her wrist. "You were not to be outside your room."

"You did not order such," she returned coldly. "Release me."

"You should know better than this."

"Why are you concerned?" The words were like ice as she wheeled to face the pale eyes. "You have taken everything from me! You stole my home, my greatest dream, and you have imprisoned me in the greatest blasphemy. What is left?!"

The pale eyes seemed amused by her rage, he drew her closer. Kissing her forehead, he smiled darkly. The Hyuuga Lord turned to the guard with a glare in his snowy eyes. "My fiancé is not to leave the grounds. I would not want a shadow to snatch her away once more. Understood?" he snapped. The guard saluted sharply, relieved to be out from under the fiery green gaze.

With a sharp pull, Neji pulled her inside, and locked the door before turning back to the pink harpy. Meeting her furious gaze , the almost angelic eyes seemed to blaze. She could feel the black intoxication of his wrath stifling the air around her. Holding her anger, she stood strait, breaking her hand from his grasp. Tension crackled through the house like a lightning as emerald challenged diamond. "You are worth a great deal to me, Sakura," he said lowly. "And you are wrong."

Her eyes narrowed in confusion as she folded her arms, forming an invisible shield between them. Neji smirked arrogantly, shifting to circle her like a predator. Those eagle eyes never left her own, and for a moment, she wondered if he could actually see her. "You still have retained that stubborn spirit of yours…" he mused aloud.

"You will not break me. You do not have the capability. There is nothing to use as leverage," she answered his unspoken desire coldly. "I am not a girl of your imagination Neji. I am far harder. He taught me to be such."

"And I broke him within two moons."

She stiffened under the words feeling the cold fingers skim along her throat and shoulders lightly, closing her eyes. The front had to be iron or he would shatter her. "I surpassed him long ago. You will not succeed Lord Hyuuga."

"We shall see…" A sharp pain entered her neck, sending her into the dark.

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"_No, no my Lady! You must never allow your back to curve."_

"_But Obaasan, it is so uncomfortable to sit like that."_

"_Comfort is not a Lady's concern. She must be regal but sociable; stern but kind; seductive but pure. As the future First Lord's wife you must be the epitome of grace. Learn that."_

"_Obaasan, I have to be _married_ to be the first Lord's wife. Why cannot I merely be the first Lord?"_

"_Sakura! How preposterous! A woman can never be a Lord. Its indecent and improper for a lady to take a political position."_

"_Yes Obasaan." __It doesn't sound so indecent to me….It sounds sensible._

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Her arms ached, throbbing and pulsing almost as much as her anger. The jutting angle of her elbows and shoulder blades left her straining to keep her arms from being overextended. But to do so, she had to rock back on the tops of her feet, which stretched her torso and left her shaking with exertion.

Her form was no longer clad in the hated dress, but rather in nothing. He had only permitted her the bandages which ran around intimate areas for the sake of "modesty". The night's breeze seemed to lick at her skin, sending tingling sensations along her sides while slowly locking her muscles in place. It was a slow torture, but she refused to be bent to his will.

Meeting the coal black eyes that followed each movement, she felt fire burn within her blood. "I hate you."

The soft thudding of his boots did not disturb her as he smirked maliciously. Leaning before her, he pressed one hand down against her stomach, forcing her to strain harder as his lips brushed against her ear. "Just as you should."

"You never answered my question. Why?" Sakura said, struggling to maintain it with the pressure, but too stubborn to allow him to press her down.

His lips twitched in a dark smile. The amused, challenging smile he wore did not match the words he spoke. "Because it is my duty to you. I cannot support you Sakura; the life I lead is not for women of so weak a standard," he replied seriously, his hand forced her slowly back to strain her shoulders. As she flinched in pain, he released her before walking to the door. "You are weak." With the final words hanging like poison in the air, Itachi Uchiha took his leave.

Sakura stared after him incredulously, her emerald eyes disbelieving as she stared at his back. Her gaze grew thoughtful as she thought over his words, trying to discern what made her disbelieving. And then she understood. The words themselves had been delivered exactly as if Itachi were the one saying them, but Itachi also prided himself on his education. He would not have used the same work twice.

Her mind argued that it was merely a coincidence. No one could have that same tone as her lover when he was angry, nor when he was being blunt. It was pure Uchiha regality, that could allow even a grunt to sound dignified. Deflated from this small fact, she shifts slightly and then focuses on keeping her body from pain.

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"_You nearly slipped, Painter."_

"_She is in far too much agony to notice such trivial errors. The whore is too sharp in this case; her own mind will discredit the errors as his scorn for her."_

"_Be careful. I need her broken quickly. I've heard a rumor that _he_ is back."_

"_Hm. That may be a problem. But perhaps it will allow me to break them both."_

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"What do you mean, Kiriashi, that she is no longer here?" the low voice rumbled from the shadows. "I requested that you keep her from trouble while I was in Kumo."

"She left to get information on the Uchiha about three days ago and she hasn't returned," the older woman replied with a heavy sigh. "I have checked with the guards. She definitely made it inside the house. She merely did not come back out. I sent Konan in yesterday; there was no sign of Sakura in that house. Which means she was moved elsewhere."

The twin red orbs glittered dangerously in the low light as the black cloaked figure's prescience seemed to expand in the shadows, radiated his displeasure at the information. A malevolent gleam appeared as he stared the tailor down. "You will tell me where they have taken her, Kiriashi."

Sighing softly, the tailor got out the map of the Hyuuga estate. Rolling open the large scroll, she looked over the north end. Finding a room with a red mark in the corner, she pointed to it. "There. In the holding room in the lower cellar. I don't have charts for that, but it is the only place Konan could not get the guard to take her. Be warned, Itachi. The Painter is rumored to be working for the Hyuuga. If he has Sakura, then he will try to play her attachment to you against you both. There is one other issue as well. While you were away, she has sustained damage to her legs and shoulder. She will not be as strong as when you left."

With a venomous smirk that held no joy, Itachi ran one thumb along his blade, watching as the thin line of chrisom appeared. "I do not believe that will be an issue." He replied. "Sakura has an inner strength, she knows more than anyone; she does not fall for cheap imitations."

"But she believed you to be dead, Itachi. That leaves a margin for doubt in her own sense," the tailor cautioned. "There is also the other issue. Sakura was betrothed to Neji Hyuuga."

The almost red eyes narrowed, the dark expression becoming livid. Sweeping from the room with a last furious glare, the Uchiha jumped to the roof tops and began running. There was much to do before dawn, and precious short hours in which to complete it. His mind wondered if he was responsible for this chaos that now threatened the city's second Guardian, if he had been rash not to contact her before he left. But the silence held no answer for his tortured mind.

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She let out a small sob of pain, biting her lip to try hold in the screams that wished to flood from her lips. Her skin felt as though it were on fire, burning into her and through her. Writhing against the cruel bonds that forced her to be still, the girl whimpered as she felt the brush skimming along her wrist, soothing the pain with a light amount of water over the acidic acrylic paint. "Now, now…. You'll ruin it if you keep squirming," The emotionless voice intoned.

"Stop…" she whispered, as she saw him pick up the smaller brush once more. That brush held the agony in its deceptively soft form.

"Ah, Lady, then you won't be complete…." the younger twin's voice replied, his one hand pinning her other wrist. "For things must match…"

"Stop it!" she shouted, her voice cracking turning to a scream as the burning returned. The swirling patterns along her arms each stung like fire eating through her flesh. The paint was a blade, etching each design into her skin harshly. Each scar would be a replicant, a reminder of what he had done and was doing to her body.

His lips brushed along her cheek softly, tauntingly. "You are like my personal canvas… everything about you must be perfect, must match… your lover no longer looks at you. He was the one who imprisoned you in the first place. And now you are mine, until the Hyuuga locks you in his knot. In the end, you will be no more than the woman you hated, trapped without choice."

She froze, stilling under his gaze, as though her muscles had become locked in ice. The tears which had been restrained now flowed bitterly down her porcelain skin. The shell slowly breaks as she stares into those smiling, flat eyes. And then, for the final time, she shatters.

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"_Without a soul, the person becomes no more than a shadow…"- Yondaime Uzumaki, 4__th__ Lord_

"_I watched her. I watched her proud spirit day by day be broken to nothing more than shards. Every pain that he inflicted on her body was nothing to her, for it was her very heart that was shattering, that bled with each hurt. Pain is nothing compared to the agony I saw in her eyes. The agony that I would never be able to restore."- Jiryaa, Mountain Sage, Author of "Tsunade, the One Heart"_

**R&R If you want a double, I need.... Hm. 8 reviews. 2% of the normal who read. I'll be updating with a single otherwise. Much love, readers. Oh... and I have a suprise... Its a preview.**

_If it were a perfect world, he would come bursting through the door to save her. If it were a perfect world, she would be waiting for him, still hoping for his return despite her pain. If it were a perfect world, it would be a simple in and out job. But this was nothing like a perfect world. As he stared at her flat green eyes, the slump of her shoulders, the elegant room of which she took no notice, he knew that it would never be. And he hated it. For what he treasured most was broken and he did not know if he could fix it._


	8. If it were a Perfect world

___**Awww…. You were so close! But I know yall are impatient for the next chapter as well. So I made it a tad longer than usual.**_

___**Thanks to:**_

___**RozenMaiden- You can stop twitching now! Lol**_

___**White Eye Lover- Thanks… its intended to. ;)**_

___**Fourthblossom- Now you don't have to.**_

___**MiserysNightmare- You'll see when it comes to the city….**_

___**Takara Mokoto- Wow, thanks.**_

**ch1b1-ch4n- Well, now you don't have to wait!**

**On to the tale!**

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___She slowly pushed and pulled the needle in and out, over and over as she watched the black thread begin to coat the white in a circular shape. Yet, her eyes drifted elsewhere, away from it as she looked up into the pale eyes that watched her ceaselessly. "Is there something you require my Lord?" she asked, her eyes meeting his for only a second before glancing down to the ground respectfully. _

_"__No," the Hyuuga replied, a thoughtful glint in those eyes of snow. "Let us retire to bed."_

___Without a word as he took her hand, she followed him demurely up the stairs into the master bed room. Maids scurried to help her undress in her chamber and to uncurl her elegant hair from its tight perch, but she paid them little attention as she refused to stare in the mirror. Dressing in a simple cotton night gown, she entered the main chamber and slipped into her side of the bed. She neither looked at him, nor protested as his arms wrapped around her waist to hold her from behind. Her eyes only saw the deep red moon; her heart twinged, but then returned to empty once more as she closed her eyes willing the night away. For the night was him._

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___If it were a perfect world, he would have come bursting through the door to save her. If it were a perfect world, she would have been waiting for him, still hoping for his return despite her pain. If it were a perfect world, it would have been a simple in and out job. But this was nothing like a perfect world. As he stared at her flat green eyes, the slump of her shoulders, the elegant room of which she took no notice, he knew that it would never be a perfect world. And he hated it. For what he treasured most was broken and he did not know if he could fix it. She seemed almost mindless from his perch on the window as he watched her perform needlework for what seemed to be endless hours._

___He was trapped in the worst point. For he could see the shell she had become. But he had no way to rescue her. The coal eyes had seen the shadow, the copy of himself that lingered in the estate. The enemy that would hurt her further, the enemy that he knew there was no way he could by pass if he were to get her out. _

___As her eyes glanced up at the Hyuuga he could likewise see, he watched how those once proud eyes looked to the ground submissively. It was a blow to him. As she rose at the Hyuuga's word, he shifted, moving up the wall of the manor, his hands finding the nooks as he observed them move up the stairs. A dread was in his stomach as he watched them enter the master bed room. Scaling the rest of the way up, he crossed the roof stealthily, keeping from the eyes of the guards as he moved through the shadows. _

___Dropping down, he stared through the window of the balcony. Lowering his body down slowly using the cord about one of the statues, he paused as he reached the window. Hurt made him grip his chest slightly as he stopped. Ignoring it as he pulled himself close enough to see, Itachi's red eyes narrowed._

___Numbness spread from his chest through his limbs as he watched her in the white gown. __She cannot have been that broken, the Hyuuga could not have done this… she is not going to do it…____ he thought, watching. But as his mind completed the thought, he felt the numbness become pain as she lay down beside the Hyuuga in the bed. The green eyes seemed to weep behind their endless pools, but the pain increased as he watched the arms wrap around her. And she did not move way, she did not reject them._

___Having seen enough, he climbs up the rope once more to the roof. It was as though he was being consumed from the inside out. Anger made his fists tighten, the gaze became a dark chrisom beneath the red sky, promising blood. __You took her from me….. I will kill you both for daring to break her soul. Neither of you will receive mercy, nor do you deserve it.____ He silently swore beneath the sky. With a last, silent, hateful glance, he ducked into the shadows and began running. He would need help for something as big as this._

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___Her fingers plucked unbiasedly over the stings of her bellharp. The song was strangely light, yet it held a darker undertone. There were heavy steps in the light cadence of the dance, mixed with almost chilling screams in the bubbling music of the conversation. Each string gave of not only a harmony, but a discord. Everything was resolved only to have tension once more. Her fingers created undiscovered notes from the strings, allowing them to both sing as angels and hiss like demons. But even as her fingers bled, she continued to play._

___The fingers slowed as a soft humming chord broke the air. Staring around the small music room, she sought for some sign of the low organ that she had heard. But there was none. Dismissing it as she closes her eyes, she lets her fingers coaxed the strings gently into a lullaby, the lullaby that she had always played with him. Her story. But the notes seemed empty without the other music with them, a high harmony with no base._

___She plays the notes once more, searching for that magical quality that they had once had to her. But the song still remained incomplete. Despair made her fingers cease and let the silence hang as she stared numbly out the window. She wished for the freedom her life had experienced before but there was nothing there for her now. She would only be hunted down and locked away from all. _

___Rare tears stung her eyes and she impatiently swiped them away. But as she rose, the chords that she had so longed for hummed through the air. They were only the opening, but exact, the perfect match. For a moment hope blossomed in her heart. "Itachi?" she whispered, her breath ghosting through the church like no more than a breeze._

___There was no response, but yet her as her fingers created the first line, she listened as the organ replied with its low tones. Each inquisitive line was answered, but it was not the same. Her broken questions, he replied resolutely, coldly, almost sorrowfully. Her fingers paused before she played the lullaby softly, waiting for him. But as her fingers clipped the note, the organ rang out, speaking its own story._

___The notes were fast, a weaving mix of pulsating harmony and discord, and beneath it an undercurrent of sorrow that could not be concealed. There was an apology in those notes, mixed with a firmer under tone. As the last cord rang, she turned to stare at the organs box, to look for those eyes. But all she saw was a shadow. He would not save her, because he knew she was broken. And broken could not live in the life he had. She was useless to him._

___Before he could vanish off into the shadows once more, she plucked one chord, a minor, a sorrow so deep she could not express. And then she walked away._

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___He was not sure what was harder, rejecting her… or watching her walk away. Moving away he walked out and then down the street, not stopping until he was in the choir loft of the chapel. His fingers sought out the keys. And then he began to play the part he wanted her to hear, but would never allow her to. _

___A hand was laid on his shoulder, like a father comforting a son as the old priest sighed heavily behind him. "For what we want most, there is always a price. You have saved her more than she can ever thank you for, even now in her darkness. We both know she must be the one to open her eyes."_

_"__I will have my vengeance, Father. You too can see what she was. I will not let them be so foolish as to try again by making sure they cannot. She has lost everything because of them, and now it will be returned."_

"Do not take revenge… but enact that which is just." Kakashi replied quietly turning to descend the steps. "Your… friends… are waiting for you in the tunnels."

"Thank you. I will attend to them shortly."

"Itachi." The priest's voice was sharp, causing the assassin to pause. "Do not do anything rash."

"I never do, Father."

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She sat in her room quietly, working embroidery. But her mind was not in it as she stitched her families crest. There was a strange feeling of tension in the air, an electric sensation that pulled her mind to other places as she attempted to focus without avail. Even with her instincts so far out of use, she could still sense the danger that hung like a blade over the manor's throat.

Nervously, she walked to her small wash room and splashed some water along her face, trying to clear it away. Drying her hands on the small rag towel, she looked up to stare in the mirror. The woman before her, indeed, was beautiful. But she was not Sakura. The pink locks may have matched, the emerald eyes may have been the same shade, but she knew this girl was a lie.

Suddenly disgusted with it all, she took out a pair of shears. Drawing out her braid, she cut it off as fair back as she could reach, allowing the pink rope to fall to the ground as she strips the bracelets and rings from her hands and arms. Her eyes were dark as she stripped the dress from her form. The swirling marks along her arms were nearly exotic, a forbidden reminder of what had been done.

Even if he was her enemy, even if she had to kill, she would be leaving tonight. She had expected everything from him, and for that reason she had fallen so long into despair. Now she could feel the iron shield of her own will burning within those scars, the reminders of what she had endured because of her own weakness.

With a burning resolve within her chest, she stood, garbing herself in the black of her gear, strapping each to her form as she took a vow. She would never be weak again. Even if he returned, she would hold her own and forever against them. The emeralds are hard she turns her wrist over, staring hatefully at the Hyuuga mark. "You may have marked me… but you will never have me."

Walking to the drawer, she pulled it open, slowly removing the blades she had hidden there. Even in her delirious state, she had still had enough sense to hide some of her weapons. Strapping them on she turns, assessing the room. She could feel the same as if something were wrong. "Come out." Her voice was light glass, sharp and cutting.

"Damn, bitch, I thought you were 'spose to be all weepy and sobbing." A white haired man dropped from the rafters, his blue eyes gleaming. She noted the wicked rusty knife he carried and the scars that littered his body. "Hey Sasori. Wolf sent us here for nothing."

Reverting to the street dialect, Sakura stared at him pointedly. "I did not ask to be saved, Knife. Let's go."

"We are not to leave until we have the signal."

"Well to the gutters with that, we have a clear opening to go now, through the farthest left window and can reach the gates before the next patrol occurs," she argued, staring at the red haired man. "If we do not leave within the next four minutes the patrol will see us as we go down the wall."

She moved for the window when two sets of hands latched onto her shoulders. Her eyes flared and then with a neat ducking twist, she moved to flip them. But she found herself slammed into the ground, her arms twisted behind her back. "We are not leaving until the signal, Miss Cherie. So please reframe from making rash choices, or I will knock you unconscious."

"Like hell you will!"

"Such a mouth on a former noble… I'm impressed," Sasori mused as he listened to her stream of curses. Turning as the door opened, he made a sharp motion to Hidan as he stifled the girl with his hand. Helping her to her feet, he boosted her up into the shadows of the rafters before jumping up himself. Silently as they watched the figure come around the corner, she felt her breath catch. For they were staring at the very silhouette of the Painter.

"Now, now blossom, where have you gotten to this time? You can't have gone far, I know your door was locked… why don't you just come out? Or I might have to start all over on that lovely canvas."

Her blood froze and formed with something more than a fury she could explain, her hands tightening against her blades until the knuckles were white from the pressure. Shaking with controlled energy, she eased forward, only to have Sasori grab her ankle, forcing her to be still as he shot her a warning look. Staring at him with flat eyes, she obeyed.

Sasori stared at the girl before him with silent reprove, but he could feel a slight pity. The low light of evening clearly showed each of the horrific keloid scars that had been inflicted on her flesh. The individual had been clearly sick, for they mocked her name, marking the scars to form flowers and other symbols. And only acid could have done so. His hazel eyes flicked to Hidan across the rafters, nodding down to the figure below them.

As the white haired man nodded, he nudged Sakura, pointing with his eyes to a rope in the far corner. He kept her attention there, forcing her to stay with him. Because he knew that it did not matter how much spirit she possessed. If it were a perfec world, she would be able to have her revenge. But this was not a perfect world.

**R&R. Maybe a double chapter if I get one more review than last time. You gots a week!**


	9. Dreams and Deals

___**Wondering why everything last chapter was in italics? Now you'll know….**_

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_Walking with Sasori silently, she turned her gaze to the edges of the manor's outer walls, feeling denied. Her legs burned slightly with the exertion; she had not been able to use them during her stay in the Hyuuga manor. Disappointment clouded her eyes as she walked steadily beside him. _

_As the reached the corner, however, something changed. She could feel it. Her gaze swung around to stare back the way they had come an instant before a sword buried itself through her chest. Blood seeped from the wound, and then she was called to darkness._

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Itachi awoke with a start, a chilling sweat running down his back as he took deep breaths, scanning over the room. He had not had such a nightmare for many years, nor had he ever experienced so vivid a dream. Even in his youth, the pictures of the night were nothing to him. Because it was a mere illusion…

He turned his eyes to the ceiling of the large chapel where he had been asleep for many hours. His coal eyes turned to the red glass scene above him, of the single angel who wept. And he saw the crystal of her tears. Shaking his head as he rubbed his eyes, Itachi rose and went about clearing the day from his skin. For the night would be his truth.

"Are you ready?" he questioned the shadows, his coal eyes glinting with something more than human, but less than holy.

"Tch. Of course."

"Then let us go." He stated coldly before moving into the night no more than a demon.

Somethings were meant to be forgotten. This was on of them. For if his dream was true, than tonight would be a night of chrisom streets. But even if it were not, the walls of the Hyuuga manor would remain painted in blood.

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She wept and struggled in her sleep, her eyes fluttering between open and closed. Her body searched for an end to the nightmare, but there was to be no peace. As her teeth grind from the horror of what she is watching, the shadows shift, and then the Painter appeared. His delicately calloused hands traced over her jaw as she whimpered and squirmed, making her flinch away.

He noted with interest that his canvas had taken well. The intricate designs burned into her skin stood out clearly, but remained un-raised scars. Even though she had fainted when he was less than half finished, her body had still adapted the poison in her system far better than he could have hoped. Everything was going according to plan. For the dreams of night could shatter a soul better than the torture of the day.

The emotionless eyes grow cold as he stares at her, listening to each word to escape her lips as she pleaded for her lover, her friend. And then, with a hate as he hears _that_ name, he turned, leaving her to the darkness of her mind.

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"Sakura…. Sakura…." The soft words called her from the darkness into the dull light above her. Following the call quietly, she ran for the day, seizing consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open as she slowly awoke from the dream world. Every vivid detail stood out in her mind as she immediate clutched her chest… only to find no wound.

Her eyes turned over the room steadily, trying to find some explination. But nothing registered to her, it was foriegn, save for the black eyes above her. The eyes that could only have belonged to her lover. Tears slowly formed in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks as she wept bitterly. Because this had to be a dream. He could not be sitting before her any more than she could be alive.

Slowly, gently, hands wrap around her, soothing and comforting as his voice whispered in her ear. Reassurance poured from him as he held her, stroking her short pink locks. Confusion entered her mind as she touched the short hair. That had been a part of her dream. But everything was mixed up. She could not tell what was real or what was illusion.

So long had she wished for him to be there when she awoke, to comfort her in her tears. But now as he held her, she could not help but doubt. For he was dead. She knew he had died, she had his band at her waist. This could not be her Itachi.

Itachi stared at his love quietly weeping before leaning forward ever so slowly to kiss her on the lips. "Why do you weep?" he whispered lowly, leaning his forhead to her own to stare into the emerald pools.

"Because….I know that when I awaken… this will be no more than a dream. And I will still be trapped. I've wished so often to see you… but you are dead to me; what I'm feeling cannot be real, no matter how much my soul longs for it to be."

"Child, why do you doubt what your senses tell you are true?"

"Because I am afraid…. I waited for you so long. And now when I have you, its impossible. I don't know how I even am here, nor how you came to be. So this has to be a mere dream, a passing fancy of which I will awaken."

Itachi's eyes grew hurt. "You are more awake now than you have been in months, love. Your dreams, in part, were truth. But what you see now before, me and this place, is no illusion."

Her eyes stared at him. And then she pulled him into a fierce hug, her arms wrapping around his chest to be as close to him as possible. Her voice was a mere breeze as she buried her head against his warm muscles, breathing in their familiar smell, feeling the definition of them beneath his shirt. "I've been waiting so long for you… I wanted to be strong. But I am broken Itachi…. I love you more than anything… but I will understand if you do not want me anymore. I am hideous." Her eyes fell to the ground as she bowed her head submissively.

Strong fingers reached down to bring her hand slowly up and then level with his eyes. Understanding shone in them as he slowly traced the designs, the burns against her skin. "You think I would be so course as to disown you because you are disfigured?" He placed a light kiss on her temple. "I can never leave you. Nor will I. Because these do not matter to me, they are merely on the surface. What matters is the soul beneath them. And you are as radiant as ever."

Rising, he picked her up in his arms, carrying her to their bed in the belfry. "Come… you need rest…"

"Wait…." Her soft voice made him pause, looking down into those exhausted eyes. "How did you do it?"

His eyes darkened. "The only way I could."

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_*Flash back*_

_He walked silently through the manor, his body sliding in and out of shadows. The watch was no danger to him, for each individual who passed found blood seeping from his neck before they could even notice him. Each body he hid well within the manor, for no one would notice blood against the cherry wood floors._

_Revenge was in each sickening slash his blade made to flesh, it burned in his eyes like a fire that could not be contained. It was an odd sense of pleasure to be able to in act such justice. Such a strange feeling that was deeply satisfying to his soul as he moved through each room. _

_The children, he left. They were innocent, they could not know better. And so he showed them mercy, locking them in their rooms as they slept. Tomorrow would be the beginning and end of them. Turning his gaze silently through each room as he moved, he kept an eye on the shadow that moved beside him. _

_Pointing down a hall as they reached a crossing hall, the two split directions. One went down. The other went up. His feet carried him up the stairs his eyes almost appeared red beneath the red sky of the night. Those who did see the flicker of movement felt shock as they saw those demonically colored eyes meet their own. And then they crossed to the gates of hell._

_He knew exactly where his target was. The man was dead, he would be dead before dawn. There was no question in his mind that this was just. The Painter had killed hundreds with his sadistic ways; he had broken Sakura and done God knows what else to her. Itachi could not bare to think of the suffering that man had created. But it would be ending tonight._

_Methodically, slowly as he approached, Itachi flicked the blade from his sleeve to his hand, ignoring the edge as it cut his fingers. It was a night of chrisom. Adding a small amount of his own made no difference. Staring at the door hatefully, he pushed it with a foot, feeling a slight give to its form. A trap then. _

_Closing it, he took a deep breath. And then slammed through, door and all. Landing neatly as he scanned the room for some form of movement, Itachi's eyes narrowed as he saw the works before him. It was a room of paintings, each a bit different than the next. But the same. For each held a depiction of suffering. One of rape. One of whippings. Each was horror within its near innocent beauty. _

_Morbid curiosity took him through the room as he studied each canvas. But he knew what he was looking for. One that was unfinished. The maze of paintings led him to a single room, and he opened its door cautiously. All that stood was an eisle with its portrait and a clothe around the floor. But he stared at the portrait, transfixed by horror. _

_It depicted a woman in only her skin with what appeared to be marks being burnt into her skin, small plumes of smoke curling around her body. Shackles held this woman under the brush that appeared to be responsible, yet, it was not the cruelty that drew his eyes. But rather that of the woman's expression. _

_The eyes, the startling green eyes were not panicked, nor were they pleading. They were merely accepting, with a deeper hurt in their gaze. _

"_She was one of my more favored canvasses. Perfect in everyway, and so smooth…" a low voice mused behind him as Sai Uchiha stepped from the shadows, twirling a brush over his fingers. The same smile, the emotionless eyes of the Painter belonged to him. "Undefiled…"_

_Itachi turned to face the sadistic artist, his coal eyes levelly calm. But in the same instant, he drew back with his arm and threw the blade with all his strength. It hissed through the air like a viper to embed with a sickening thud. Sai's eyes glanced at the blade in the wall with interest. "That could have been nasty." The brush flicked out to run over the wall, and the plaster hissed, burning under the bristles. "That is what her skin did… she was ever so careful about not screaming, it made it so much more amusing. Breaking her, that is. Tell me, Uchiha, are you really the Guardian you claim? You didn't even bother coming after her. And now she is broken because of you."_

_Lunging with the intent of driving his blade through the Painter's stomach, Itachi twisted at the last second. The figure before him jumped nimbly to aim a kick strait for his stomach. Reacting purely on instinct, the Uchiha guarded, grabbing the painters ankle to slam him into the ground. Aiming a sharp slash for his abdomen, Itachi barely twisted out of the way of the sword that he had failed to notice by the painters side._

_It became an intricate dance of death, each blow traded with precision, each block calculated to also become an attack. The two furious black angels clashed visciously without a word, without a sound besides the hiss of their blades and labored breathing that escaped their lips. Each set of identical eyes were like ice, there was no hope for either. _

_But within the dance, there was one falter of rhythm. And that was all that was needed. With a single twist of his wrist, Itachi slashed down the Painters torso, opening him from chin to belly. As the blood and guts pushed from the skin, he slashed one other cut across the neck. And then he turned his back to walk away._

_He turned to glance as another shadow appeared, wiping the blood from his blade. "The Hyuuga has been delt with. Come. She is this way…." The voice said calmly. As they reached the door, the shadow paused, turning to stare at Itachi through eyes of white. "Do not forget our deal, Weasel….. it will not end well for you if you do." _

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"I enlisted the help of a close… associate… to break into the Hyuuga manor and get you out. The painter was disposed of in the process," he finally replied. "The details are unimportant. Now rest."

As she drifted into a light sleep, the Uchiha turned to stare out into the night, where already weeping could be heard through out the streets. It would only grow as the moon waned.

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She plucked the strings in a playful melody, her music filling the church enticingly. Her body moved in rhythm. It was brilliant to the ear, pulling the listener in a like a web of glistening color. She knew it was devilry that she do this to him now, but she could not wait any longer.

As her eyes caught the movement descending the belfry she smiled ever so elegantly, rising as she continued to play for him. She knew what she could do to him; she had no doubts that she would be able to today. He needed some lightening.

His steps paused beside her and then she smiled, rising up to hug him gently. Taking the bewildered Uchiha's hand, she pulled him along. "Come on," she said, taking him up and through the rafters. Her lips tilted as she noted the curiousity sparking in his gaze as she took him further up before pausing. Pointing to a small ledge, she releases his hand and then jumps, grabbing the ledge to swing herself up. Walking up the slanting beam, she searches until she finds the slight bubble in the roof. And then, pressing it up, she slips up into the outer rafters with him behind. Crawling through the low stone spaces, she brings him to an arch, the last one just as the sun begins to rise. And then she watches as he smiles.

The city itself appeared to be adorned in jewels as the sun caught the glass and made the stone of the buildings and streets glimmer. The sun's rays outlined the world below them in gold and created a pink canvas of the sky. The silver clouds hung like strokes of a painter's brush.

"What do you think?" she asked, her eyes looking up into his hopefully.

"It's the way it should be," he replied, taking her into his arms to hold her. "The City at peace."

"We still have the two families left, don't we? The Uzumaki… and your family," she said quietly. "That will be difficult because we each share ties to them."

"Do not worry about what you cannot change." Itachi replied, closing his eyes as the sun finally made it over the horizon. "The world has much on its mind anyway. I must be leaving shortly to go to the Akatsuki City."

"But you just got back!" she protested, turning to look at him. A week ago, he had left for the city and he had only returned a day ago. "Why do you have to keep leaving?"

"It is part of a deal, Sakura, we have gone over this."

His tone left her no doubt that they would not be discussing it further. Her emerald eyes sparkled sadly as she merely nodded. "I guess I will help you pack."

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"_For what we desire most, there is an unbearable price. For what we wish to protect, there will always be a cost. Nothing in this world is free. For even Freedom is paid for with blood, sweat, and tears."- The 4__th__ Lord, Yondaime._

"_Deciet among enemies is a great strength. Deceit among friends is a recipe for disaster."- Jiryaa, Mountain Sage._

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"You have been stalling, Weasel."

"I have been other wise engaged, Pain. She is bright, and I do not wish to see her do anything reckless when she discovers what I have traded," Itachi replied, staring through the darkness at the eight figures before him.

The leaders white eyes narrowed darkly. "Knife and Sasori will be accompanying you back to Konoa. Fail to bring her again, and she will become the target for my blade."

**Unexpected hmm? Special thanks to:**

**RozenMaiden- Actually, it was the biggest word count yet, save to this one.**

**MiserysNightmare- Not quite, as explained in this chapter. That was her dream.**

**Ch1b1 chan- Yes, they are, and this one is one of my better.**

**DarkIkari8520- Thanks. ^^ And this one's a bit early.**

**White Eye Lover- That will be explained next chapter, so sorry, I can't answer!**

**Takara Mokoto- Thankyou. The music is a big part of this whole enterprise, so I compose it in my head as I write it.**

**Alley7744- Just did.**


	10. Their City

_**MiseryNightmare-Sorry Hun, that's another one I can't answer at this point. Thanks for reviewing.**_

_**C1b1-4-chan- I think all readers do, and thank you.**_

_**RozenMaiden14- Lol I might. ; )**_

_**White Eye Lover- Well, I got it up as quick as possible.**_

_**Takara Mokoto- Yep to the first, kinda to the second.**_

**Sarah-San 2509- Sadly you'll have to wait to find that one out. Cause I can't help but want to introduce certain things first so you understand.**

**Wow so many reviewers this time!!! Don't worry, the next chapter will be up by next Wednesday (I have finals this week and next. .). I hope you enjoy this chapter as it will explain a few things. And yes, I couldn't help a bit of mushyness. Enjoy!**

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"_Stalling is perhaps the best remedy when things are unprepared… for by the time they realize it, you are ready to go."- Naruto Uzumaki_

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"You have been stalling, Weasel."

"I have been other wise engaged, Pain. She is bright, and I do not wish to see her do anything reckless when she discovers what I have traded," Itachi replied, staring through the darkness at the eight figures before him.

The leaders white eyes narrowed darkly. "Knife and Sasori will be accompanying you back to Konoa. Fail to bring her again, and she will become the target for my blade."

"There is no need for such pleasantries. She will accompany me on my next visit in one month's time."

"It must be sooner."

"It cannot be. She is still recovering from the Hyuuga episode, especially her legs," Itachi stated stubbornly, the coal eyes flat and resolute.

"You have one month."

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It was a cool morning of winter, the chilliest times for the Guardians. Sakura rubbed her arms as she sat against the wall, her body covered in goose bumps from the morning air. Something about this morning made it so unbearably cold compared to the others. Her soft gaze swept through the chapel, resting on the dark figure that sat, calmly tuning and maintaining the beloved organ.

She rose gracefully, ignoring the pain within her scars as she carefully walked over to her love. Each step was still painful, but not in the same way. He had been treating the marks gradually, hoping to get them to the point where they allowed her to move smoothly once more. But for the present, Sakura was frustrated with the clumsy awkward movements that had once been so easy, but now required so much effort.

His arms received her openly as he turned. His lips smiled, but his body betrayed his true feelings. There was a slight hunch to his shoulders, a distractedness that flicked his eyes away from her. Even the aura of weariness made her wary. Itachi was not one to lie in action or word. Her inquisitive jade glance stole his heart as she gently hugged him. But his words shocked her none the less.

"We're leaving Konogakure."

"What? Itachi you said-"

"Hush… Kiriashira will be watching the Lord's along with some associates of mine. Nothing will happen while we are away, love. Your things have been packed, save for one item," Itachi stated.

"It is your decision. I can continue your scar treatments while we journey. It is likely you will be healed fully before we return. However, we will have to gain more distance each day. But if we do not continue, it is likely that your scars will take longer, by perhaps twice as much, to heal. It will cause you less pain while we travel, but slow your movement."

She hesitated thinking each choice over carefully as she bit her lip. Neither choice was desirable, for it would tax her strength to deal with the different types of pain. The treatments would leave her sore and tender. But going without would leave her entire body sluggish and stiff. _I guess I better hope there aren't any assassin's waiting for me…_ she thought before sighing. "Continue treatment. I'll get the things and be down shortly."

Accepting her word with a curt nod, Itachi headed across the rafters to slip into the secret tunnels. Turning, Sakura felt her hands hesitate as she stared at the tools lying on the bench. The jagged metal edges seemed nearly demonic, cutting her fear so that it was exposed to the world. Those metal tools tortured her mind with the anguish that the Painter, as a wielder of similar, had caused to her body.

Rationality broke through her fear as her fingers grasped the leather holder and flipped it closed, stashing it hastily in her pack along with the pot of ointment. With an elegant twist she hoisted its weight to her shoulders. And then she was beside him, following without question as her mind yearned for an explanation of where they were going.

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They stopped twenty miles from the city, allowing the horses rest as they tethered them loosely to the trees. Darkness had not quite set into the kingdom of the Sky nor had the Silver Lady uncovered her face yet. But when they had finished with the essentials, Dusk was upon them.

With the darkness came a degree of fear that Sakura had not anticipated. The mind was easily corrupted by the shadows, and though she could so easily meld into them, she knew that they enhanced her anxiety over things that would mean nothing under the Sun's gaze. The pain that the treatments of her scars brought was far from pleasant. There was no way to avoid it; he was a gentle as he could be without dragging the procedure out. But she still felt apprehension of the slow fire that would consume her while she watched him prepare the tools and mat. Feeling sick, she left to a small grove just beyond the camp.

Stripping to her natural covering, she washed the road from her skin. To be exposed was different. It had originally held nothing more than if she had been standing in full dress, now there was a discomfort that it gave her when she stood in his prescience. Steeling her self against whatever could come, Sakura turned and then walked back to the camp.

Without looking at him, she crossed to the mat and lay face down, her hands above her head. The clothe cord met her skin securely as he bound her arms by the wrists together loosely, allowing a strip of it to run around her eyes. He knew she could not look or her reaction would be far more adverse than if he did it with her blind.

His touch was light, precise as he felt each of the long scars in her back, measuring, checking each against the others. There was a slight 'hn' as he found one particular area above her shoulder that he studied carefully for a few moments, looking for the place he always began with. "Are you ready?" he asked quietly.

"Yes…." she replied, keeping her voice calm, level despite the small shudder that rippled through her form.

Carefully, he picked up small scalpel. And then he began to cut. The hot blade sheared through the layers of scar tissue easily as he held her shoulder still. The inner skin, the lower scars that did not inhibit her body was not harmed, nor did she bleed as he scraped away the damaged cells. His steady hands maintained the perfect height. He listened to her soft cries of protest as he worked efficiently, quickly. One word from her and he would stop. Some nights, he finished one side. Others he was lucky to finish a hand. It depended on how much pain she could tolerate.

Silence hung save for the sound of his workings, the crackling of the fire, and her labored pants. His blade rose for a moment as he peeled off a large section from her leg and threw it aside. His hands reached her other leg when he heard her whisper, "Stop…"

Setting the tools away, he wrapped them and returned them to the saddle bags. Bathing the raw areas with light water and alcohol, Itachi stroked her untouched skin softly. Rushing her would be a fatal error, he knew of her fears. They made her scream in the night, when her mind could not consciously block them away. He listened to her on those nights, holding and comforting her back to a peaceful dreaming. And he knew she was still cracked. Where his patience and their love had allowed her to heal, some wounds of fear still tainted her crystal beauty.

She sighed as her eyes drifted closed, subconsciously snuggling closer into his lap. Covering her with the cloak, he lay beside her. The night was chilly and it was right that they be together. He didn't have much more times with her and he wasn't sure what would happen when they reached Akatsuki City. Kissing her hair, he wrapped his arms around her waist before falling into a light, but pleasurable sleep.

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They rode into the dark city at noon. It was so strange to her, to see a place made of stone. Konogakure was mainly formed of wood, and thus it gave off a more cheerful aura to its desolation. But there was no masking the state of this city.

Its large iron gates and stone wall spoke of order, the sentries promising trouble to those foolish to start a fight. Everything was laid out within the walls to point to a central building that rested against the rock face, regal in its own design, but curiously somber. For even the storm clouds that covered the city seemed to hold a seriousness within their brewing blue depths. Black iron was common through this area, barring gates, windows, some fences. She wondered what craftsmen had the patience to work with so much of this.

Her eyes turn sharply as they rode between the gates. The sentries cold eyes met Itachi's as he inclined his head and pointed with his spear to the center of the city. Observing as Itachi merely nodded in reply, Sakura felt her eyes sweep over each of them, feeling a subconscious recognition rise within her. But she did not know their names. There was no time for thought either as Itachi nudged his mount into a steady run. Following, she leaned against the horse's neck as they raced through the cobblestone streets. Urging the sable mare to lengthen her strides, Sakura caught up with Itachi, following his movements so that they never were further than a half pace apart. But as they rode, she noticed that it was getting more difficult to follow him. Dropping back slightly, she followed at a steadier pace tracking him with her eyes. But as he whipped around a corner, she followed only to find that he had vanished from sight.

Turning down the closest alley, she sighed in frustration. There was only a wall there, too high for her to jump. Wheeling neatly, she took off on a parallel street, running towards the center of the City, the place she had seen the guards direct her to. Cutting across through alley sharply, she wove through the streets, looking. Her eyes searched constantly, looking for the flick of his black cloak. Concentrating solely on finding her lover, she paused as she reached the center point, turning to run an arc. She could see down each of the perfect streets. But as she looked a flash of black caught her eyes, moving fast towards her. But it was not Itachi.

_You want a chase… then you got one,_ she thought, watching as the figure unsheathed their blade. Clapping her heels to the horse's side, she was sent flying forward. He forced her to turn often so that she could escape his mounts longer strides, but she oft allowed him to catch up merely to turn and leave him behind her once more. Another ride joined in, seeming to herd her as the two blocked her from turning in areas while sometimes forcing her.

Warily, she turned down a last corner to find that she had been driven into a dead end. Whipping around, she flipped her wrists, exposing the blades that resided there as she settled the horse to a stand still. "Attack and I will kill you."

The figures seemed to smirk behind their hoods, the eyes danced with a kind of smug merriment that she did not understand. It was not the hard gaze of a robber, nor soldier, but someone who held power and had the skills to back it. "We are aware of your abilities, Blossom. The Weasel informed us in his last visit."

"The weasel?" she questioned skeptically, her eyes narrowing. The term was one that was generally applied to Itachi during his work sessions because of his uncanny ability to get in and out unscathed while dealing heavy damage. A complement, to him.

The other rider snorted impatiently. "Itachi, as you know him. Come, Leader is awaiting you both. Though he did find your stunts rather amusing."

Sakura stared at each, her mind working. "Hell and Masquer, correct?" she asked as the two figures stared at her incredulously. "Why should I believe any of this?"

"Where did you hear those names?" the hazel eyed one, the Masquer, demanded.

"I don't know. But I know that is who you are. Answer me."

There was a slight clattering of hooves as Itachi appeared at the end of the alley. "Sakura. Come…." He ordered giving a curt nod to the others, who immediately turned to ride beside him.

With a dark look, she followed. But her ears caught Hell's sharp whisper. "How the f- does the bitch know our names?"

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

_**R&R… and here is a preview, since I believe that is the most reviews I have ever gotten.**_

_"What the hell do you mean?" she breathed, her muscles tightening at his words. Her eyes flashed to Itachi, but he merely shook his head, affirming the words that had to be insane. There was a price for everything. This was what it had taken to save her from the darkness. But it would mean a journey into hell. _


	11. Cost of Freedom

**So evil I am... I hope you enjoy. Special thanks to:**

**White Eye Lover: Here you go. ^^**

**Takara Mokoto: Mhm... It makes you feel bad, but it the only way that scars can actually be healed.**

**MiserysNightmare: Thanks. ^_^ And their good questions, but they make spoilers... But here is the next chapter.**

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Her steps thudded against the stone flooring, her emerald eyes hard. She easily kept pace beside the three men. Something was growing in her a hardness that was nearly driving her to a seething anger. But yet, she had no tightness within her, more of a stiff flexibility, a reserved grace that was strikingly forbidden. The fear they would expect from a woman was not to be found in her eyes.

Flicking her hair over her shoulder irritably as she listened to the quiet conversation passing between the three, she shot a cool look at Itachi, showing her words with her eyes. It was disconcerting that he had not mentioned this before they reached the city; he was usually quick to brief her on what would occur on these trips. His eyes showed little, a muted concern with a hint of warning in their coal depths. Nodding in response, she watched as the three stopped at a door, parting.

"The leader is through those doors," the Masquer replied, motioning with his head. His hazel eyes held scorn beneath the messy red hair that hung over them. He seemed indifferent to this while Hell seemed grim.

She folded her arms. "You are not going to enter?"

"Only you were invited. Therefore, only you enter." The Masquer replied, folding his arms. "It is not wise to make him wait."

With a single glare at him, she nods and then opened the large door stepping inside the blackness that awaited. The door clicked shut behind her. Spining on her heel, she turned the viridian eyes through the blackness, falling on a small area of sun light. No one appeared to be in the room, but she could feel the hair on the back of her neck tingling. Someone was watching her. "It is considered improper to enter without knocking." A rich baritone said coldly.

"It is considered rude to hide from guests," she shot back, her feet walking cautiously around as she attempted to pin point the voice. The dark stone made lighting dim, and his voice carried well, creating a near echo throughout the large room.

"I am in plain sight. Are you so blind?" the voice replied, unchanging, though a hint of amusement carried in its undertone, a challenge.

Sweeping the room with her eyes, she looked each direction as she pivoted. And then her gaze turned upward, to the large wall. A ledge stood out above it. Shifting quickly, she found holds in the seemingly smooth surface and began to haul her body upwards. It took less than three minutes for her body to reach the top. Stepping to the ledge, she stared at the man before her. His hair was the brightest flaming orange, his eyes the darkest pearl. Street pierces covered much of his face. "Well done, Sakura," he praised, his eyes never turning to her. "I would expect so much from Itachi's apprentice."

She steadied her temper, wondering why this place had suddenly fired it. The man's words were unreadable; they could be either a complement or rebuttle. Her lips tighten as she stares at him. "He taught me what I needed, showed me where I was wrong. Why do you expect less of me?"

He ignored the question. "It matters not. You belong to me."

"What the hell do you mean?" she breathed, her muscles tightening at his words. Her eyes flashed to the rafters as she saw a flicker of movement. Itachi shook his head, affirming the words in her mind that had to be insane. There was a price for everything. This was what it had taken to save her from the darkness.

"The Guardians, more commonly known as the Akatsuki, are lead by me. You were rescued due to our intervention. Therefore there is a debt that you must pay. Or you do not leave our city." His words were cold, exact. Each was like a shaft piercing her, driving the breath from her body. She tried to clear them from her head, tried to get her mind around them.

"What must I do?"

"It is quite simple actually. You must beat me in a game of chess in the highest tower of this complex. You must be there by six. You must leave no later than midnight the next day. If you succeed, you are free of your debt. If you fail… your life has a much greater price," he replied staring at her.

Her eyes whipped to the window, studying the sun. That gave her approximately six hours to get to the highest tower. And her mind had no doubts that it was likely to be completely trapped. Her lips tightened. "Very well." Walking over to the balcony, Sakura seemed to pause. And then she stepped off and over.

The leader's eyes seemed to narrow as the other members stared in shock. With a deep, dark chuckle, Pain turned his gaze to Itachi. "She has a flare for dramatics."

With a mere 'hn' Itachi, turned his gaze to the streak of black that was now making its way over the rooftops. His coal eyes were darkly thoughtful as his gaze flicked to the leader of the Guardians. "You failed to mention the consequences of this chess game," he stated bluntly. "She would not have agreed otherwise. And you knew that."

"Of course… she must learn to read the fine print."

Just like you will have to learn more about her, Itachi thought. It would be interesting to see how the master Manipulator of the Guardians faired against her. For she had a wit that was not to be denied. He questioned her at times, wondering how she could so easily switch personalities from sweet and scared to a hard headed bitch.

Pain would be in for a run for his money.

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Her feet took her across the rooftops with ease of a hawk. She knew the stone. The walls of his inner chambers had proved her theory. The walls had areas that stuck out. Meaning they could be climbed. Ducking the occasional wire, Sakura stared at the tower before her. That was indeed the tallest tower. The easiest route would be to use the wires to haul herself up. But that would also put her in range for any traps, which would make it hard to escape. No… she knew better than to expect it to be a clear route. And so she settled for the cold rock face.

Three of four holds had to be stable. That was any thief's rule. For one such as a Guardian, however, it was two and a finger or toe grip. Her body wove across the face of the rocks, allowing her legs to push as her arms pulled her up the towers surface. It took strength combined with an odd sense of flexibility, for often she found herself straddling the rough stone while pushing up with her legs.

Progress was slow as the rain lashed her figure. But she ignored its freezing touch as she forced her body to continue upward. Two feet below the window, Sakura reached up to touch one of the bricks only to find that it had retracted. Her lips thinned. _So he's even booby trapped the walls… great._ She thought as she took a deep breath. And then she sought for another hold, testing the bricks with her fingertips, but nothing held. Cursing, she side stepped onto a balcony that rested close, careful to rest only on the rail as her fingers moved along that steady row that was just in her reach. They seemed solid, but she could feel the slight give in them. It would be dangerous to climb, any misstep could trigger something beyond her ability to handle… and send her falling to her death.

_Ok…_she thought,_ so what now?_ The answer, however, was just as frustrating as the question it posed. For time was running out.

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"She truly is a curiosity," Pain mused, watching her. "A contradiction if you will. The noble who chose to become poor. A hot head that can still reason… a child who has had to grow. She is like nothing I have seen."

"And it is for that reason you desire she join us?" the Masquer replied, his eyes narrowing scornfully. "She is weak. Itachi should not have wasted his time on one who is broken."

Pain's eyes turned to him curiously, studying the red hair manipulator with interest. "You do not think Itachi can bring her up to level?"

"I do not. She has a woman's heart and for that reason is a liability to us," he stated. "More so, she still holds fear with in her. Those who caught her before could easily exploit that fact to bring her under their control once more. And she weakens Itachi with their attatchment."

The snowy eyes considered the thought as he turned his gaze once more to the struggling girl. His gaze narrowed. "I have noticed his recent reluctance. That will have to be dealt with. Do not worry, Masquer. No one has ever completed this challenge. If her instructor could not, what hope does she have?" The lips curved into a cruel smile as he rose, vanishing up the stairs. "And when she fails… then I will have them both."

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Drawing back the cord, Sakura took aim once more. Her balance was precarious as she tossed the loop up once more, aiming for a small bar that protruded from above the window. With a small smile as it cinched around, she tested her weight on the rope. It was sturdy, enough so that she would be able to ship rat it up. Clenching her knees around it edge as she leaned back, she used her arms to steadily haul her body upwards until her feet rested a mere three feet above the window. Ever so carefully, she allowed her hands to detach from the cable as she leaned back, her knees supporting her weight as she used her hands to slowly, gradually release the window's catch.

Easing it open as she curled up to latch her hands on the wire, she carefully swung her legs down. Back and forth she moved, gaining momentum until in a split second decision, she releases the cable. For a moment and a half she was flying. And then her body struck the ground, rolling clear of the head wire trap by luck. Skidding across the floor, she haulted as she struck the far wall.

Her breath came in short gasps as she lay there, resting for a moment as she permitted her eyes to scan the room. It really was quite simple, she noted with a small smile, decorated in such a way to be comfortable but tasteful. Leaning up slowly, she froze as something caught on her arm. A thin wire, nearly a thread was pressed into her skin. If she moved up it would snap. If she allowed it to ease back down, she would be stuck on the floor. She mentally swore. She should have realized it was there.

Biting her lip, she slowly lay back down, bringing her arm towards her side, only to find another wire touching her inner arm. _Damn it… their everywhere. I can't move without touching another. Unless…_ she shifted her torso, allowing her arms to dangle back behind her as she eased upwards cautiously. Drawing her ankles strait towards her upper thighs, she bent her knees before rocking her torso up ever so slowly.

Easing bit by bit, she stood to survey the room once more. The chess board sat in the middle of the next room over, she could easily see it. And according to the sun, she had a little less than half an hour to reach it. If she had been in her normal finesse, the task would have been simple. But stretching to avoid the rafters was much more difficult with her scars on fire from Itachi's treatment. Each movement would be agony. But she knew she had no choice.

Her steps were sure, sound as she moved through each set, bending, twisting her body. She ignored the burning sensations, biting her lip as she shifted through awkward poses towards the game. The mind knew where she needed and she allowed it to direct her body by instinct, though she often grit her teeth against the fire running through her marks. But finally, she reached the end of the wire. And she sat in the chair.

"Very good Sakura," Pain mused from where he was seated. The chess set gleamed before them, made of marble, the black and white distinguished from each other. Her side was white, the opening color, glowing with the sun. He was the darkness, the dark shine of which seemed to eat the light from the board.

She merely inclined her head in reply, studying the board. It, like the pieces was formed of carved stone, a neutral board of light and dark silver. Along its sides sat two boxes, each with sixteen slots. One for each enemy piece. Her eyes flicked up to him as she studied the small indents in it. _Why would he challenge me to a mere game of chess? It seems so trivial considering the debt I seem to owe him. So what is going to make the game different? _She thought. _Itachi always told me to look beyond a person's actions to see what their motives could be. But this… I don't understand it. But it might have something to do with those boxes._

"As the controller of the Light set, you will open the game," Pain stated, interrupting her thoughts. "Are you ready for a game of chess, Sakura?"

_What choice do I have? _"Yes."

**R&R. Next chapter is their chess game. Probably will be up in a week or less now that I am out of school.**


	12. Chess Game Because I believe in You

**Back again in a lovely day of summer. I'm sorry this is short, but I can't do more without making you wait for about two weeks and that would be evil when I know you all are dying to read the chess game between Pein and Sakura. And besides... what fun would it be otherwise for me when you see what happens? Special Thanks to:**

**White Eye Lover- Yes there is... you'll see about that though in this and the next chapter. Thanks for being a constant Reviewer. ^^**

**Takara Mokoto- You could say that... Lol thank you so much! **

**Ch1b1 4 Chan- Hopefull you aren't dead. T.T But here is the next chapter. ^^ Thankyou.**

Her eyes studied the board, the emerald eyes choosing the most common opening move as her fingers shifted the central white pawn a single space forward. As a noble, she had been well acquainted with the tactical mindset that this seemingly simple game required. It was not only of each move, but of the entire set, the reactions that ones opponent was likely to make.

He matched her move with a pawn of his own, decisively setting the point down as he studied her movements through eyes like ice. She wondered what thoughts were moving through his mind as she studied the board and then selected her knight, moving it to the third row from the center, much like a sentry to the one opening in her line. It was a small habit of her own to open the game in such a way. Knights were crucial pieces for their ability to move over others. Leaving them in the rear was never advantageous.

"What do you know of your City, Sakura?" Pain's lips seemed to smirk as he shifted his bishop out through the gap created by his opening, setting it out only three spaces from the maximum range it could go. Though it targeted pawns, it seemed to hold no significance until she noted that it targeted her knight.

But that made no sense. For if he were to capture her knight, he would lose his bishop. Shifting her bishop in a mirror image of his own, she met his gaze steadily. He had been expecting her to meet his bluff, she guessed by the thoughtful glaze in his eyes. "Everything… I grew up on both sides of its face, both the darkness and the light," she replied. "Three families control us. Two are left."

"Two of the most powerful clans. You can't hope to win." His words were absolute as he moved his queen, targeting her knight once more in its position before her front line and bishop.

"One said similar when the Hyuuga heir still lived," she pointed out, studying the threat to her knight. The green eyes were thoughtful as she picked out the placement of each on the board. And then she knew exactly what she was going to do. Steadily, she took her queen and once more mirrored his movements.

He was silent as he glanced up with smirking eyes. "Your partner might survive, but I was speaking of you personally." His left edge pawn he sent forward two spaces as he gestured for her to move. "You are too reckless."

"Not reckless. I have each move thoughtout before I make it," she replied, shifting her knight once more, out of range of his queen, as her green eyes seemed to darken. He was playing much like her old friend Shikamaru, constantly setting up for movements two moves ahead. She would have to play his strategy against him, hopefully changing his tactics before he could catch her.

His cold words however, took down her hope. "Then you do not realize the consequences of your moves before you make them." His bishop moved to strike her knight, moving it out of place. Placing the taken pieces in its holder, he smirked at her as he pressed it in firmly.

Tensing instinctively as she saw his smirk, Sakura felt something shift and then a burning pain rocketed through her left shoulder. Gripping it tightly, she flinched as she felt a warm stickiness beneath her fingers. Blood. "What was that?"

"A mere addition to our game… that blade which just struck you is not deadly. Unless you are exposed with the contact poison at its edge for longer than two minutes. Each player you lose will cause it to trigger, based on their worth to the game. The same is true of when you capture players, but it is an antidote." he replied. "Are you a Haruno, Sakura?"

Her eyes met his, her eyes frowning darkly as her arms shifted. That was not in the agreement. But she had not specified against it either. The fine print of the deal was now rearing its maw and she would have to be fast if she was to survive. Viridian eyes observing the board, she permitted herself a small smile as she sent her other knight to threaten his queen. She had an idea of what she was to do. She merely needed to get it set up before he could strike again. "Yes…"

Instantly he shifted his bishop to protect the queen, making it a sacrificial play if she were to capture it. "What is the relationship between you and Itachi?"

She stared at him, questioning the motive behind those snow white eyes as she studied the board once more. "That is not your concern." And then she moved her queen to slam into his line of pawns, to the kings weak left side. Nothing could save him now for her queen was protected by the bishop. "Check mate."

Her burning green eyes left him staring at the board, wondering when she had set it up as he replayed each movement in his head. Everything she had done, it had been a ploy from the start, he noted. She would not blatantly use such a checkmate, but had rather inserted it within other moves. Grudgingly, he noted that she had never allowed to show through her moves either.

_That is how you hide your relationship isn't it Sakura… you make the more blatant moves conceal the ones that truly matter… a brilliant move. But only to a point. You don't understand the rules behind this game and it is for that reason that you and he will remain here._ He thought. "Come with me," he ordered.

Walking out the door as she mirrored his movements, Pain took her to a large room. It reminded her of a cathedral with its colored tapestries of glass. "I assume that Itachi has told you of the Guardians," he stated pausing before the largest window, by the iron fixture.

She nodded guardedly, wondering where this was going.

"Did he explain our rules as well?" Pain pressed his eyes narrowing as she hesitated, then shook her head.

Sitting on the stone seat as he eyed her, Pain ran his fingers along the iron vine, his fingers touching the red rose delicately as his eyes bored into her. "As protectors to the city, we forsake all bonds to do what is necessary to make the world a better place. The only bond permitted is between apprentice and master, and comradre between the masters. All guardians, whether male or female are forbidden to love."

"That is understandable," Sakura replied levelly. "But not wise."

"Explain."

Hesitation glittered behind her mask of confidence. Carefully choosing her words, the Guardian held his gaze steadily. "Love creates a tighter bond between friends. It turns them to brothers or sisters. They then will drive harder to complete goals because it is not a mere acquaintance who will suffer… but someone who means something to them."

"Jealousy accompanies love. Recklessness. It is a double edged sword, one that is unwise to be played with." His voice was cold. "You speak as though from experience."

This was a dangerous game. To affirm it would put herself and Itachi outside the law. To deny it would be to deny everything that had been said, that had been done for her. Something within her throbbed as she considered her reply. "One could say that I have been fortunate enough to have a family beyond my own."

"They are a liability."

"Only if they cannot protect themselves from the darkness with which I am sometimes tainted."

Pain chuckled, a darkly amused sound that reverberated throughout the chapels deep stone walls. "You are a curiosity indeed… I see why Itachi has been fascinated by you, Sakura. You have a strange way of enticing the mind," he mused.

Silence hung, unadultured, filling the room with its heavy prescience. Sakura stared a the man before her a cautious dislike in her eyes. Within his gaze she felt as no more than a marionette, a child of which was playing against her parents. It left her disjointed, her rythem disrupted by this strong undercurrent that now played in a discordant harmony to her own song.

Pains fingers tightened around the rose, his other hand tapping the arm of the thrown to create a muffled boom. The double doors to the chapel swung open as the Masquer stepped through, with a curiousity in his hazel eyes. "I desire for you to dine with m this evening. The Masquer will show you to your room. I trust you will find something sufficient to wear. Good day, Sakura."

Tilting her head in acceptance, she turned to follow the other Akatsuki Guardian, though her eyes never left the hand curled around the rose. With a smirk in his eyes, the leader drew his hand back to his waist opening his fingers slowly to show the coveted red blossom, its petals slowly stolen by the wind.

Chilled, she turned away as she felt stone weight her stomach. What had they done, coming here?

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She scrubbed her back, her arms, every inch of her body. The feeling of those heartless eyes on her… she could not seem to erase it from her soul. Something so much more beneath that steady mask, a coveting desire that could not be hidden. Trapped within the games of men, she felt no more than queen to be moved across the board by the conductor of this elaborate orchestrated world.

They were such small impacts. Of what significance would it be in half a century, what they accomplished. The world would always be ridden by a darkness, because the light could not exists without its counter part. No one would remember the hidden shadows who created its present with their dark pasts.

Rinsing the soap from her hair in the bathing pool, Sakura felt her heart tighten as she stared at the scarred reflection before her, suddenly disgusted. For what had she suffered the tortures of the Painter, of the Lords? Her fingers traced the scars bitterly as pain lanced under her fingers. But she reveled its burning.

Rising, she rubbed the water droplets from her skin gently as she dressed in her slender dress of deep green. Her feet remained bare underneath its light flowing form; her hair was plaited and then tied with a simple leather cord.

Troubled as she laced her sleeves, Sakura's eyes swept to the stained glass window of a rose before quickly departing, the need to silence her mind over welming.

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Her fingers danced nimbly through the strings of the harp, plucking a steady somber melody. A deeper harmony wove through the middle tones, and beneath it a heavy discord that sometimes wove within the melody and harmony of the delicate harp that she had discovered.

Green eyes distant, she allowed her body to work without thought. It was a small wonder that the sound of her soul could be so seen, the dark tones painting more vividly than a brush to canvas. But as her fingers coaxed the melody from its strings, hands rested over her own, following the pattern, being moved with each of her own shifts through the lower harmony. And then as she removed her hands, they continued to play the low tones of reassurance, weaving a net of music that soothed the melody to a relaxed tension.

They played silently through their soft somber song. But as they struck the final chord, his fingers picked up a new melody, weaving her song with each limber movement. Her viridian eyes met his coal black as she slowly leaned back into his chest. Drifting into a deep peace, Sakura sighed softly.

His fingers ceased, moving to cradle her within the sanctuary of his arms as he continued to hum the tune softly in her ear, stealing a kiss gently. But she turned away, her eyes clouded by something else. "Not here…" she whispered.

Concern flickered through his calm gaze, his lips turning to a slight frown as understanding slowly replaced the confusion. "Sakura… that rule was implemented because of the pain others suffered when their love was taken by an enemy. They were unable to defend themselves, as you and I are," he softly replied in her ear, resting his head on her shoulder. "You do not need to fear that which does not apply."

"It's the way he said it though, the way he looked as he said it. He knew about us… and he knows that you are connected with me. I do not know if it is because he is jealous, or because he is merely that way. He's still testing me and by testing me, he tests us. Itachi, I am afraid that he is going to try and take me away from you."

The coal eyes became obsidian, sharp as a rumbling entered his chest. "You do not need to fear that which will never be allowed. I am not going to allow you to be harmed again." Burying his head in her neck, her hair, he took a deep breath. "Sakura… don't believe in yourself because you believe in me. Believe in yourself because I believe in you."

**R&R if you want to see the next bit soon... I'm curious to see what you think Pain's next test is. Oh... and if you can tell me which akatsuki memebers are Hell, The Masquer, Pain, Michelangelo, Knife, and Weasel there will be a special double chapter. ^^**


	13. The Dawn

_Their City: Finale_

_~You could be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare…~_

_Twirling in a deadly dance she let the glint of pure satisfaction enter her glimmering green eyes as her blade slammed homed into his shoulder. With an almost sensual tilt of her lips, the beautiful young woman drug her clawed gloves across his throat. Throwing the lifeless corpse from her, the kunoichi let a satisfied smile cross her lips as she moved to the center of the gray marble room._

_Blood dripped from her black pants, in sharp contrast to her pale skin. Malevolence surrounded her, a forbidden beauty that drew the eyes unconsciously to her willow form as it moved. Turning a slow circle so that the moonlight highlighted her silhouette in the darkness, the woman fixed her gaze on the edges of the room. The blades in her hands glinted wickedly as she focused on the figure that hovered close to the dining table._

_~Clouds filled with stars cover your skies and I hope it rains.~_

_He watched her resume control of the situation as easily as if she were the master of this sacred place. A small smirk tilted his lips. He expected no less from the nightmare whom had haunted his existence for the past four years. A goddess of the darkness, a wild shadow he could no more avoid than tame. She was perfect in every aspect of her body, her form was as elegant as the waters in the sea. But far more tempting, a cat that hunted him for something more than revenge. _

_It was almost perfect. Dinner had become something far more entertaining, for she played like the leopard that Itachi had seen her for. The dark scars upon her arms lent her mystique something more. She was a goddess of death. "So this is what Itachi saw…" Pain breathed covetously. "The kitten's metal claws."_

_~What kind of dream is this?~_

_Glaring at him, Sakura flipped her hair from her eyes. "Is this your form of entertainment?" she snarled as he merely smiled at her. The beatific face could melt the hearts of angels, but he held no grip to her as he dangled the prospect of freedom over the head of her and her love. _

_Her skills had been honed to perfection by the man who held not only her heart but her soul. He was the light that had showed her redemption and the man before her seemed sacrilegious against that glow. Turning furiously towards the double doors, she let loose a string of curses between her furious words. "You invite me to dinner, have one of your men attack me. For what purpose, Pain? To remove something you perceive as a weakness? Itachi made the same mistake when we first met. The difference is, you hold no grip to my soul. Let us leave in peace. Or I will show you the extent of what the hell of the Painter did to my soul."_

_The dry chuckled that met her words did not phase her. When he had ceased to threaten only her own safety, the dark side of her heart had taken control. The innocence of the dawn had been lost to the night; if he was foolish enough to attempt to hold her, he would find the harpy who had replaced the angel._

_"You are such an exquisite peace," Pain stated, beginning to circle her, to test her boundary of tolerance. Carefully, he moved in until he stood within reach of her claws. "Itachi remarked that you could hold your own, but I had no idea of your potential, Sakura. A Night Angel and Demon combined. You think you rule your own actions but it has never been that way. Just as the Night Angel believes himself to be free, so you have assumed until now. Was Itachi truly foolish enough to believe that he could hide his apprentice for so long? We have been watching you since the day you disappeared, making sure that eventually we could pull the cord and draw the raven back in with his dove. And then we could clip their _wings_."_

_Dancing nimbly from the way of the sword which suddenly swung up at her, Sakura lunged in to find her claws met by a pair of blades. Weaving in step against the Akatsuki leader, she let a wild laugh escape her lips. Neatly moving in sync with the man before her, she let a mocking smile trace her lips. "You can't clips the wings of a Seraph. For we are angel's of battle." _

_Battle blood flowed through her veins as she wove a deadly intricate pattern around him, feeling the reverberation as she kept carefully a step away from the powerful arms who's metal fingers sought her body. It was when she felt the grip seize her wrists, slamming her to the ground, that she realized the mistake. He had been searching for it within her dance, and now he had found a way to disrupt it. Staring up as the silver began to make the discending arc, Sakura closed her eyes._

_And it was then, with a single talon, that the raven killed the hawk._

_~I wish that when I wake up you're there to wrap your arms around me for real and tell me you'll stay by side.~_

Viridian orbs fluttered open as she let out a shuddering sigh.

"Dreaming again?" Itachi asked, crawling over to wrap her within his soothing prescience. The coal eyes were smoldering, gentle in the morning light.

Nodding, Sakura sighed as she gently set her hand in his. Tying back her hair, the young woman buried herself into his arms. "They're always the same. The ghosts that haunt our doors, now that the City has found peace in our absence under Naruto Uzumaki, have been invading my dreams," she said quietly. "Pain, Neji… even the Painter. Peace has settled in our City…but not within me."

"Time will help," Itachi murmured kissing the top of her hair. "The day is ours love, and the demons we laid to rest know that they have lost. I will never leave your side. And the City will never fall to corruption. It is the reason that we exist beyond the Law, even now."

Turning to capture his lips, Sakura let her fear melt away with the shadows of night before rising as a heavy hand knocked on the door. Curiously she listened for a moment to the silence outside before removing the wedges as Itachi unsheathed his knives in caution. "Who is it?" she asked, disguising her voice carefully.

"You know who it is, Sakura, now open the door in the name of God!"

With a cry of joy, the young woman unbolted the door to fly into the old priest's arms. Hugging Kakashi close, she smiled before stepping back to greet him properly. "Hello, Father," she greeted. "Still in good health?"

Kakashi gave her a one eyed glare as he held out the dove scroll to her. "Yes and through no help from you," he replied with mock ferocity. "Every single piece of rock candy was taken from my jar in the sacristy!"

Chuckling as he came up beside her, Itachi sheathed his knife before pulling Sakura back in against his chest. Storm colored eyes glittering with an unusual trace of humor, the Uchiha heir glanced at the older man with something akin to brother ship. "The faults mine, Father. You should know that sugar is a powerful demon to fight when your wife eats only rabbit food."

Quickly ducking before Sakura could whack him, the Guardian smiled seriously. "Your church, however, managed to survive. The stain glass has been repaired and certain area's opened once more. The rafters are still steady, Kakashi, so the cathedral should stand another millennia or so."

"As it should, Itachi Uchiha," Kakashi replied settling on to one of the arm chairs in the anteroom. Opening one eye lazily, he added, "You two have done well in the situations you were given. Kiri told me of the Painter incident… I do not think the City could have been in better hands." There was a pause of silence as the older priest shifted to get more comfortable. "But what are your plans for the future?"

"I'm not sure we know… The City will never be fully safe from those who wish to plunder its depths. But perhaps it does not need to be. We will be able to pass on the Guardianship to those who we see fit to wear is mantle. The Night Angel's can live as more than just beings…" Sakura answered slowly. "Because we stand for an ideal."

Deliberating for a moment, the older man turned his gaze to the stain glass window of the Resurrection. "Then we will see when the time comes." Slowly rising, he vanished into the church's depths.

Sakura considered the place where he had sat for a moment from within Itachi's arms. They had truly never thought to make that decision because they had been too busy fighting to keep alive. Now that there was peace, the City had no need of them. A soft kiss on her forehead broke her trance as the Uchiha chuckled. "So easily distracted…" he mused planting a second kiss to her lips, "There is no need to worry about the future. It will take care of itself."

Shaking her head with a gentle smile, Sakura let herself be carried away into the swirling emotions. The song of love wove within the Church, and there would be no end to its ever changing melody until time itself drew to an end. For as it rose and fell, a third harmony interwove with the two, a tiny tingling sound that completed the trio.

_You can be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare…. Either way I, don't want to wake up from you._

**Well this is the finale to Their City. I had lost the file of the orignal to a computer virus, so when I found this incomplete version I decided to finish it a bit differently. I hope that you enjoyed it, and hopefully, I will have a new story up shortly. This time, though, it will feature another couple. Vote for your favorite title and couple in your review!**

**Neji/Tenten: Sight Without Eyes**

**=How could she hope to court the King of the Winterland when his heart was colder than the icelands he ruled?=**

**Sakura/Sasuke: Playing Poker**

**=A pair of Aces and a pair of twos met her eyes as she glanced at the hand he had dealt her. The dead man's hand.=**

**Sasori/Sakura: Masquerade**

**=When the masks come off and the strings are removed, we are still his marionettes and puppet's too. =**

**Itachi/Sakura: Their Dream(Book Three of Her Apocalyspe)**

**=It was only the divide of space that now kept her from him. Trapped within the subconcious world, she could only be with him at night as the dreams within his mind. He dreamt of her everynight only to awake to the emptyness of her bed. Divided by time, they would have to hold fast to their dreams lest another sweep her away forever....=**


End file.
